The Reason Is You
by Constance1
Summary: It's a year and a half later and Draco is anxiously awaiting Harry's return. He hopes everything can now return to normal, but unfortunately Harry returns with a few surprises of his own. SLASH. SEQUEL to Walk Away. COMPLETE.
1. Never There

The Reason Is You

  
  


  
  
Draco crossed the dusty floorboards for the fourth time and peered out through the grimy glass window. 

"They should've been here by now," he muttered, his eyes squinting as he surveyed the empty lane.

Hermione glanced up from the large book in her hands and hid a smile as she watched the pacing blond. "I'm sure everything's fine," she supplied reassuringly.

Draco sighed and turned around, perching his body on the edge of the wide windowsill and crossing his arms over his chest. "I still don't see why we couldn't go, too."

Hermione laid the heavy text down on her lap. "Someone has to stay here to watch over the house while everyone else is away."

"Weasley and Macmillan could've stayed."

"They can't skive off patrolling just because you want to see, Harry," Hermione said in exasperation, tired of dealing with the increasingly moody Slytherin.

Draco glared. "Aren't you even the tiniest bit worried that Dumbledore and Severus felt it necessary for the two of them to meet Harry themselves?"

Hermione picked up her book again. "Well, Harry _is_ Voldemort's prime target."

"Oh, thanks. That makes me feel loads better."

Hermione flipped idly through the aged pages of her book. "From what I hear, Harry doesn't really need much protection anymore."

Draco glanced up sharply. "What have you heard?"

"Oh, I just overheard Dumbledore telling Ron's parents that apparently Harry was doing amazingly well with his training, exceeding expectations, in fact."

Draco smiled as he turned his attention back to the window. "Of course – he's Harry Potter."

Hermione pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Just don't expect him to come back the same."

Draco turned away from the window with a frown. "I don't. He was a real mess when he left and now he's spent almost two years in intensive magical training, of course he's going to be different."

"Doesn't that worry you?"

"Why should it? He'll be stronger, more confident in himself, and hopefully he's gotten over the past."

"What if he's gotten over a lot more then just, Ethan?" Hermione asked, quietly. "You were both sixteen when he left and now you're eighteen – that's a long time to be apart."

Draco shrugged. "My feelings haven't changed, why should his?"

Hermione smiled slightly. "I'm sure you're right. It's too bad you weren't able to write each other."

"I know. I was pissed off at first, but I think it was a good thing. Harry needed some space."

Hermione nodded in agreement.

Draco glanced back at the window, an impatient sigh escaping his lips as he absently pushed his blond hair off of his forehead.

"Careful," Hermione warned, glancing up. "It took you a full hour this morning to get your hair just right for Harry's return."

He shot her a withering glare. "I'll have you know that I always take an hour on my hair. Not everything I do concerns Harry."

"Riiight…"

"It's true!"

"Is that cologne I smell?"

"Oh, shut-up." Draco turned away in annoyance.

Hermione snickered and closed her book with a bang. "You know if you were a girl I'd swear that you had been suffering from a serious case of PMS lately."

Draco pushed away from the window and paced across the small room. "I know I haven't been the most…_pleasant_ co-worker as of late-"

"Understatement of the year," Hermione muttered.

"- but I'm just…nervous."

Hermione immediately felt sorry for teasing him. "Don't be. You have nothing to worry about."

Draco exhaled and shook his head uncertainly.

Hermione stood and walked over to look him in the eye. "Listen to me, Harry will return and he _will_ be different, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't still care about you. You'll just have to get to know each other again, take it slow – one step at a time."

"Thanks, Ms Bloomwood." Draco smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione laughed and flopped back into her chair. "I was actually thinking about pursuing a career in counselling or therapy when this is all over."

"Merlin knows we're all going to need it," said Draco.

"Let's hope not."

"Then how are you going to make any money…" Draco trailed off, his head snapping towards the window suddenly, eyes wide.

The unmistakable sound of approaching voices was drifting up towards them.

"He's here!" Draco exclaimed in relief. "I mean…_they're_ here."

Hermione stifled a giggle as Draco rushed from the room. "Draco!"

"What?" He stopped halfway out the door.

"You might want to do something about your hair before you go down there."

The haughty blond rolled his eyes and disappeared from view. Hermione stood up and stretched, then started laughing as the sound of Draco's footsteps retreated towards the loo and not downstairs. She continued to grin as she left the study and jogged down to meet the returning group.

The front door opened just as her foot stepped off the last stair and a tall familiar brunette cautiously walked into the foyer.

"Harry!" She shrieked and ran over to throw her arms around him.

Harry smiled and dropped the large black duffel bag that was slung over one shoulder to the ground, his arms automatically opening to hug his friend in return.

"Let me look at you." She pulled back and held him at arms length, scrutinizing him closely. "Wow, you've actually grown. I think you were thirteen the last time you had a growth spurt. And you have actual muscles!"

Harry laughed as Hermione squeezed his biceps. "It was all the physical training we had to do; sword-play, archery…it was exhausting."

"And I bet you loved every minute of it!" Hermione grinned knowingly.

Harry laughed again as he nodded, his green eyes sparkling.

Hermione suddenly clutched him to her. "I'm so glad you're happy again, Harry. I was so worried about you when you left…"

Harry patted her back a little awkwardly. "It's okay now, 'Mione. I feel a lot better."

Hermione pulled back, embarrassed, and wiped her eyes.

Harry looked away, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings with interest. "So, this is-"

"Harry?"

Harry turned as someone banged through the door, laden down with heavy bags and boxes. "Oh, shit!" He dashed over and grabbed some of the boxes obscuring the person's vision. "Sorry 'bout that, Cody."

Hermione looked up at the stranger's face curiously. He looked to be a few years older than herself and was very tall with sun-bleached hair and a light golden tan. He had very strong cheek bones which were softened by the dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, which appeared to be often. He had clear blue eyes with a hint of green, turning them almost aqua in colour.

He and Harry set their stuff down on the floor and straightened up, Cody rubbing his back with a grimace.

"Sorry," Harry apologized sheepishly. "I kind of got anxious and ran ahead."

Cody smiled good-naturedly. "No worries, mate."

Hermione raised a brow with interest at the heavy Australian accent,_ and_ at the way Harry was smiling back at him. "Uh oh," she thought worriedly.

"Hermione, this is Cody Melnyck, my training partner," Harry introduced, drawing her attention back to reality.

"Hi, nice to meet you." She smiled in greeting, extending a hand.

Cody smiled and stepped over to shake her hand, his skin rough and calloused under her own.

"So you're an Intimus Magis, too?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm Sparky's partner in crime," he winked, shooting Harry a bright smile. "And you must be the genius that he's always talking about."

"Hardly." Hermione blushed modestly.

Cody's smile grew in amusement. "I'm gonna go back and help Julian," he said to Harry.

"Okay." Harry nodded.

"Sparky?" Hermione questioned as soon as Cody had disappeared out the door.

Harry chuckled. "I'm so used to it by now I don't even notice it anymore. It's his nick-name for me. It started right after I accidentally set his trousers on fire during practice."

Hermione would've laughed if she hadn't been dying to know what it was going on between the two boys. "Harry, just what is going on between you and Cody?"

Harry immediately stopped laughing. "He…"

"Yes?"

"Um…"

"Harry?"

Hermione inwardly groaned, her eyes flicking from Harry's flustered face to Draco standing at the bottom of the stairs. "I think I'll go see if they need any help," she excused herself and walked outside without waiting for a response.

Harry stared at Draco as the blond slowly made his way over to stand in front of him. He still had to look up slightly to see into those grey/blue eyes, apparently he wasn't the only one to have grown during their time apart.

"Welcome home," Draco said warmly.

"Thanks." Harry swallowed, taking a small step backwards.

"I missed you," Draco continued in the same warm tone.

"Draco, I…"

"Ah, Harry, here you are." A strange older wizard walked through the door, levitating a ratty carpet bag behind him. He had a white moustache and a beard that was short and shaped to a point. His white hair was also short compared to most older wizards and was brushed back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. His brown traveling cloak was very plain and had dried mud stains along the bottom, just brushing the top of his heavy suede hiking boots.

Harry turned away from Draco and smiled in welcome relief at the diversion. "Julian, what took you so long?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Slightly hurt, Draco frowned and watched as Harry deliberately ignored him.

"I'm not used to all this traveling, dear boy," Julian Price answered back, the same kind of twinkle in his brown eyes that could often be found in Dumbledore's.

"That's no excuse," Harry reprimanded playfully.

Julian levitated his bag to the growing pile on the floor and looked around. "Where can I get a cup of tea in this place?"

Harry shrugged. "No idea, I've never been here before."

Snape and Dumbledore suddenly appeared in the doorway behind Julian. Dumbledore was smiling merrily while Snape looked ready to kill.

"Did someone mention tea?" Dumbledore asked, pleasantly.

"Yes, I think we're ready for a little sit down, don't you?" Julian answered.

"Excellent idea. Let's leave the unpacking for later and go have something to eat."

Julian smiled and walked beside Dumbledore as he headed down the hall, a scowling Snape trailing behind.

Draco immediately turned to Harry.

"When are we going to eat?" Cody moaned in mock faintness, stumbling through the door with a giggling Hermione. The two of them threw the last three bags onto the pile.

Draco glared at the interruption.

Harry laughed. "We're having tea down there." He pointed.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Cody threw an arm about Harry's shoulders and steered him down the hallway after the trio of professors.

Draco could only gape in disbelief.

Hermione walked over in concern and stood next to the stunned Slytherin as he stared after the pair.

"Who was that guy?" Draco asked.

"His name is Cody Melnyck. He's from Australia and he was Harry's training partner in Ireland."

"So what's he doing here?"

"I haven't the faintest."

Draco finally turned to look at her, his eyes silently pleading. "They're not…he's not…"

Hermione slowly shook her head. "I'm not sure."

"But it looked that way, didn't it? Did he say anything to you? He barely said two words to me and pretty much ignored me like he wanted me to know that he didn't want to have anything to do with me."

Hermione silently cursed Harry for being so insensitive. "He only told me that they were training partners."

Draco looked back up the hallway where the two had disappeared from view. "I never even considered the possibility that he might meet someone new. I can't believe…I just…I don't understand…he…"

"Look." Hermione interrupted his stunned rambling. "We don't even know anything for sure yet, let's just go in there and observe Cody and Harry's interactions."

"Alright," Draco said distractedly. He turned and headed for the kitchen.

Hermione crossed her fingers behind her back and said a little prayer before following.

Draco entered the small kitchen and silently took in the seating arrangements at a glance. The cramped table held the headmaster at one end with Julian Price to his left, Harry was sandwiched between Julian and Cody, and Snape was furthest away from the chatty headmaster and his old friend.

Hermione walked in behind him and glanced uncertainly at the last remaining chair.

"You take it," Draco offered.

Dumbledore glanced up from his conversation. "Harry, why don't you conjure up another chair for Mr Malfoy and demonstrate some of that wandless magic you've been working on."

"Sorry, sir." Harry shook his head. "We're not allowed to use it unless strictly necessary."

Julian smiled and nodded approvingly at his student.

"Hey, no problem," Cody spoke up with a grin. "Sparky can share my chair." With that he grabbed Harry around his middle and hauled him over onto his lap.

Harry laughed and squirmed in protest, blushing slightly.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Problem solved. Have a seat, Draco."

Draco fumed. "No thanks, I think I've lost my appetite. I'll just be going-"

"I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy, but we have some rather important things to discuss and I would like you to stay."

Draco's lips thinned as he stoically took up Harry's vacated chair, keeping his eyes averted from the cozy couple beside him.

"Alright, down to business," the headmaster began. "There are a few things we need to apprise Harry and Cody of before we start. As you know, we have quite a few Order headquarters spread around the country, this one is of course Remus Lupin's old home when he wasn't among society or doing work for the Order."

Draco risked a glance at Harry out of the corner of his eye, but the brunette's intent expression didn't even waver.

"The group currently using this home, which we have named Moony House, have been put into pairs for their Order duties. Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy are a team, Ron Weasley and Ernie Macmillan, and now Mr Potter and Mr Melnyck. We only station about three to five pairs at any one location for safety. Also, professor Snape and Mr Malfoy are often absent performing additional duties for us."

Harry's eyes flicked to Draco.

"Pairs are sent out to patrol suspicious areas that might contain Death Eaters or their supporters. Mr Weasley and Mr Macmillan are out patrolling at this moment and should return shortly. We also have an insider contact that relays important information to us at different intervals. His code name is Laszlo and you will both meet him at some point. Both professor Snape and Mr Malfoy are carefully monitored by Voldemort, he is very suspicious about how a lot of his vital information is leaking out and we like to encourage this in order to keep the heat off of Laszlo. I think that's about it. Any questions?"

"Are you sure you can trust this double agent?" Cody asked.

"Quite sure, he is extremely reliable and hasn't led us astray yet. Anything else?"

Harry shook his head.

"Excellent." Dumbledore brightened, the serious mood lifting. "Now, I think we need to hear the story on how Mr Potter's new name came to be Sparky."

Harry and Cody burst out laughing.

"Shall I?" Cody asked Harry.

"If you must," Harry said, his face turning red even as he laughed.

"Well," Cody began. "We were practising an exercise in teamwork in which Harry was_ supposed_ to ignite one of my arrows with fire and then I shoot it at the target – only, he set my trousers on fire instead! Let me tell you, I was never so scared in all my life, that fire was little too close to home if you know what I mean."

Draco ground his teeth as everyone laughed.

"Then he had to tear them off and was running around in his underwear…" Harry choked out, dissolving into laughter again.

Draco pushed back from the table and stood up. "If that's all, sir, I think I'll go get some work done."

Dumbledore nodded dismissively.

Draco stalked out of the kitchen and fled up to his room.

He stared out the window, wondering how what was supposed to be such a wonderful day could turn out so horribly, horribly wrong.

* * *

A/N - Just to head off any complaints; yes, this story's chapters are going to be shorter than Walk Away, but I will be updating more frequently. This story will also be shorter in length than Walk Away was, as well. And don't worry, all questions you might have about what the hell is going on so far _will _be answered in due time...hee hee. Hope you like it.


	2. Unaffected

  
  
Draco woke up the next morning with only one thought in mind: he would make Harry talk to him today – alone.

He dressed quickly and went down to the kitchen wearing a simple white t-shirt and low-slung jeans. Snape was already there and sitting at the table drinking a mug of coffee.

"Morning, Severus," Draco greeted, smothering a yawn.

"You're up early," Snape observed, glancing up.

Draco shrugged and opened the fridge door. He leaned over to scan the well-stocked shelves and frowned at all the junk food.

"Weasley did the grocery shopping this week," Snape explained with a slight curl to his lip.

"Ugh." Draco slammed the fridge closed and reached for the coffee pot. "Is Julian Price still here?"

"No, which is why _I am_."

Draco smirked as he joined his ex-professor at the small wooden table. "Don't care for him much, do you?"

"If you had to spend two hours in the company of a couple of old wizards who don't act their age then you would learn to avoid them as well."

"Duly noted." Draco leaned back in his chair and blew on the steaming coffee in his mug before taking a tentative sip. "Any word from Laszlo today?"

"No. I wouldn't be too worried about it, the Dark Lord is keeping a low profile at the moment."

"Yeah, but it's been awhile since he last made contact."

"We'll just have to wait until the next D.E meeting before we find out, we can't risk exposing him. Remember, he contacts _us_, not the other way around."

"I know, I'm just feeling restless I suppose."

Snape scrutinized him over the rim of his mug. "Would this have anything to do with the return of the headmaster's prodigal son?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Hardly."

"Or maybe it has more to do with the fact that Potter and that twit are sharing a room."

"What?!" Draco choked and set down his mug.

Snape smirked. "I thought you didn't care?"

Draco carefully smoothed his expression. "I don't, I just worry for Potter's safety. What do we really know about this Cody person?"

Snape rose and walked over to place his empty mug in the sink. "We know his parents were both murdered by Voldemort."

Draco blinked in surprise. "They were? Why?"

Snape turned and leaned back against the counter, arms folded in front of him. "His father became and a Death Eater and his mother disapproved, refusing to join, so they killed her. His father was murdered shortly thereafter because he became upset when he found out his wife had been killed."

"So he regretted it in the end," Draco murmured sadly. "How did Cody escape?"

"My guess is that no one knew that there _was_ a baby. They lived in a small cottage just outside of Adelaide in the south of Australia and they were a very private family, no other living relations."

"Did you know his father?"

"No, but I had seen him around a few times. Cody is the spitting image of him."

"Hmm…" Draco mused contemplatively. "His story reminds me a bit of Harry's, no wonder they connected so quickly."

Snape frowned as he re-joined Draco at the table. "There's something going on between those two."

"I know," Draco said bitterly.

"No, it's more than that. I could sense it on the journey over."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I am not completely sure, but I would keep an eye on them."

"Them or _him_?" Draco asked darkly, suspicious of Cody's seemingly innocent façade.

"It could be nothing," Snape suddenly said dismissively. "It was a long and arduous journey and I was not at my sharpest."

Draco nodded and took another sip of coffee, knowing he would not soon forget what Snape had said.

Suddenly, a strange whirring sound filled the air and began to steadily increase in pitch. A black film spread out over every window in the house, keeping anyone from the outside able to see in.

"What the hell?" Draco clenched his wand tightly as he bolted after Snape towards the front door.

"Specularis." Snape flicked his wand towards the door and the solid brown wood instantly turned transparent, allowing them an outside peek at any intruders without their knowledge.

Draco sighed and lowered his wand.

Ginny Weasley stood on the other side of the door, frantically wringing her hands and biting her lip.

Snape wrenched open the door, glaring ferociously. "Weasley!" he barked.

Ginny winced. "I'm sorry," she shouted over the screech of the alarm. "I came to see Harry and I didn't know the password had been changed…"

"James Marsters," Snape spat the password, glare still intact as Ginny shuffled her feet uncomfortably on the doorstep.

The alarm was instantly silenced and the windows cleared.

Snape turned on his heel and walked back to the kitchen looking like a human storm cloud.

"Sorry," Ginny apologized sheepishly. "I didn't know."

Draco closed the door after she had stepped inside and reinstated the protective wards once more. "It was changed last night," he explained.

Ginny shrugged out of her coat and threw it on the broken coat rack. "Who is James Marser?"

"Marsters," Draco corrected. "I have no idea, I think Dumbledore let Harry choose it."

Ginny smiled. "Where is he? How does he look?"

"Why don't you turn around and see for yourself?" Came a voice from behind them.

Ginny whipped around and squealed in delight. "Harry!"

Harry was standing in the middle of the staircase, clad in boxers and a t-shirt, his wand in hand and his hair still rumpled from sleep.

Ginny danced on the balls of her feet as Harry descended the stairs to greet her properly. She gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. "You're so different!" she exclaimed.

"Really? I'm a bit taller, I guess..."

Ginny tilted her head thoughtfully. "I think it's your eyes…"

Harry smiled and shook his head. "I can see that you've sure grown. You look so much older."

Ginny tossed her long red hair over her shoulder with an exaggerated pout, batting her eyelashes. "Well, I _am_ seventeen."

Harry groaned. "God, now I feel old. I still think of you as that little ten year old standing on the platform when I left on my first train ride to Hogwarts."

Ginny giggled. "Jeez, it's a good thing you're gay, Harry, or I'd be one frustrated girl."

Harry looked taken aback for a second then began to laugh along with her.

Draco smiled despite himself, it was good to see Harry so relaxed and comfortable again. He hadn't realized how accustomed he'd become to the tense and frightened boy from the last time he'd seen him.

His smile faded as Cody walked downstairs.

"I someone going to introduce me?" Cody asked, smiling at Ginny.

"Ginny, this is Cody Melnyck, my training partner while I was away. Cody, this is Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister."

"G'day." Cody smiled in greeting. "You're Ron's sister? Wow, a family of red-heads. I've always had a thing for red-heads."

Ginny giggled, her eyes lighting up with interest as she took in the sexy accent and cute dimples.

Harry poked Cody hard in the ribs.

"Ah, sorry. Brunettes are gorgeous, too," he immediately amended.

A flash of disappointment crossed Ginny's face and quickly turned to amusement at Cody's apologetic expression.

Harry smiled and rolled his eyes. "Are you hungry?" he asked, turning towards Ginny. "We were just about to have breakfast."

"Sure, and I'm really sorry about waking you up so early."

"Don't worry about it, it's not your fault. Dumbledore asked me to give him a new password last night. Come on." Harry motioned for her to follow him down the hall to the kitchen. "I think it's a great idea to only use Muggle terms for the password."

"Dumbledore's idea, of course." Ginny smiled as she walked beside him. "So why did you choose that one?"

"James Marsters? He's a Muggle actor who was on this TV show that I got absolutely addicted to while I was in Ireland. He's incredibly good looking."

Cody shook his head as the two disappeared into the kitchen.

Draco was about to follow them when it suddenly dawned on him that Harry hadn't once looked his way that whole time.

Cody looked at Draco, his bright eyes filled with sympathy.

Draco lifted his chin and ignored him as he headed determinedly towards the kitchen.

Cody shrugged and turned to climbed the stairs back to his room to get dressed.

Harry was sitting on the edge of the counter when Draco walked in, talking animatedly to Ginny about his favourite new TV show.

"…and then he just started singing! It was hilarious! He can really sing, too, he's even in a Muggle rock band. I bet he's really a wizard, no man can have cheekbones _that_ perfect."

"So the show is a musical?" Ginny asked, removing a carton of eggs from the fridge.

"No, just that one episode. There was a singing curse on the town-"

"Harry?" Draco interrupted.

Harry glanced up, his expression closed. "What?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I'm helping Ginny at the moment, can't it wait?"

"No."

"Go on," Ginny urged. "I'm fine."

Harry hopped off of the counter with a sigh and followed Draco to the sitting room just off of the main hallway.

Draco held the door open for him as he passed through.

Harry froze mid-stride, his eyes wide and staring.

"Harry?" Draco questioned. He followed Harry's gaze and saw that the sleeve of his t-shirt had ridden up as held the door ajar and the stark black of his Dark Mark tattoo was clearly visible on the pale skin of his arm.

Harry blinked and backed away.

Draco took a step towards him in concern. "Harry-"

"Um, I need to, er…go get dressed," Harry said evasively. "I should go." He turned and practically sprinted away up the stairs.

"Shit," Draco swore in frustration. First Harry ignores him and now he's scared of him - what next?

"Language, Mr Malfoy."

"Oh, hello, sir," Draco said half-heartedly to the headmaster. "I didn't see you come in."

"Obviously not."

Draco turned his back on Dumbledore and walked back into the kitchen dejectedly. He dropped down into one of the chairs and stared at the table top, one hand absently rubbing the Mark hidden beneath his sleeve.

"Good morning, Severus," Dumbledore chirped upon entering the kitchen.

Snape grunted in reply and continued to look over the folder of documents in his hand.

"Ah, Miss Weasley." Dumbledore smiled pleasantly, watching as Ginny flipped over some bacon crackling in a large pan on the stove. "I see you were anxious to welcome Harry home."

"I was." She grinned, wiping her hands on the pale blue apron tied around her waist. "I hope you're staying for breakfast, I made extra."

"Don't mind if I do. It smells delicious, you must take after your mother."

Draco ignored the goings on around him, remaining seated at the table, deep in thought, until some ten minutes later when Harry returned – fully dressed and with Cody by his side.

Draco scowled and shot Cody a venomous look.

"Do you need some help, Ginny?" Cody asked quickly, walking over to escape Draco's threatening glare.

Harry stood by uncomfortably, clearly trying to avoid looking at either Draco or his arm. He finally decided to sit down at the table, staring hard at his hands.

Draco dropped his forehead into his hand and closed his eyes. "This is ridiculous," he thought wearily.

"Oh, Harry, before I forget," Dumbledore suddenly spoke up, unknowingly breaking the awkward silence. "Julian asked for the pleasure of your company this afternoon for some practice time. He doesn't want you to get rusty."

"Oh…sure," Harry replied vaguely.

"The school grounds will be ideal right now since it is still summer break."

Harry's head shot up. "Hogwarts?"

"Yes, that is where Julian is staying. It only makes sense-"

"Actually," Harry stood up, face slightly pale. "I'm not feeling that well, I don't think I can go after all."

Draco opened his eyes and glanced up at Harry through the long strands of his blond fringe.

"Oh…" Dumbledore said in surprise. "That's alright, I guess. Cody can go today. You should get some rest."

Harry nodded and quickly left the room.

Draco bit his lip and thought about going after him. _Just what was going through that brunette's head?_ He glanced over at Cody and saw that the tall Aussie was laughing at something Ginny was doing with the food, he hadn't even noticed the scene going on behind him. "Doesn't he care?" Draco thought angrily.

He glanced over to Snape and saw the man giving Cody a carefully guarded look.


	3. What Happened To Us?

_What happened to us  
We used to be so perfect, now we're lost and lonely  
What happened to us  
And deep inside I wonder, did I lose my only?_

  
  
Later that day, Draco found himself standing at his bedroom window watching Harry and Cody practicing some kind of meditation exercise in the backyard below him. They were both sitting in the grass with their eyes closed and their hands resting lightly on their knees.

Draco sighed for the hundredth time since Harry's return. "Do I even know him anymore?" he wondered. "I've never felt so out of touch with his thoughts and feelings before. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of the old Harry in the way he looks at me when he thinks I can't see him, and other times he seems almost angry with me. Is he still mad at me for what I did to him…?"

Draco turned away from the two peaceful figures in frustration and gave the wooden chair in his room and particularly vicious kick before going down to the kitchen for something to eat.

Ron was already there devouring a plate of sugary cream puffs.

Draco wrinkled his nose in disgust and grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on the counter. He washed the apple off at the sink, looking through the tiny window in front of him as the cold water sloshed over his hands. Harry and Cody appeared to have finished with their meditation and seemed to be in the midst of a heated argument. He turned off the water and continued to watch in interest. Cody looked to be apologising for something while Harry stood there glaring.

Draco tried not to smile in glee, feeling guilty for taking pleasure in their little tiff.

He clearly saw Harry say 'whatever' and then stalk off across the yard, heading for the secluded garden on the far side of the property.

Cody stared after him for a minute then turned and headed back to the house.

Draco jumped into one of the chairs at the table and tried to appear nonchalant as he took a bite of his apple.

"What are you smiling about?" Ron asked, glancing up.

"Am I?" Draco quickly schooled his features into a look of casual indifference.

Ron raised his brows and stared at him.

Cody banged through the door and walked past without a word.

"You're smiling again," Ron observed, thoroughly confused.

"I'm allowed to smile from time to time, aren't I?" Draco took another bite of his apple and leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the table.

"No, actually, I find it disturbing."

Draco shot him a bright, toothy smile.

"Now you're just trying to scare me." Ron stood and took his empty plate to the sink.

Draco snickered.

"Are you patrolling tonight?" Ron asked, turning back around.

"Nope, it's Harry and the prat's turn."

Ron smiled. "Aw, he's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Draco repeated. "He only stole what was rightfully mine."

"Says who? Did Harry tell you that he was going to run straight back into your arms the minute he returned?"

"No…but he didn't have to come back with a new boyfriend and flaunt it right in my face."

"That's true," Ron conceded. "I was a little shocked to see that to tell you the truth, it's so not like him."

Draco swung his feet off of the table and leaned towards him. "I know, that's exactly what I thought. Did he mention anything to you about why he's ignoring me?"

Ron shook his head. "No, I haven't had much of a chance to talk to him yet." He paused uncertainly. "I don't know if I should tell you this…"

"What?" Draco asked, immediately.

"The last thing he said to me before he left for Ireland, was to ask me to look after you. He wanted to make sure that you stayed safe and that you were alright while he was away, which is why I don't know why he's acting like this now."

Draco swallowed and shook his head. "You see? It just doesn't make any sense."

Ron nodded in agreement.

The front door opened and closed with a bang and Snape appeared in the kitchen doorway, a scrap of parchment in one hand.

"Laszlo?" Draco guessed immediately.

Snape nodded and walked over to hand the paper to him.

"Excuse me." Ron left the two alone to talk.

Draco skimmed the message. "Six o'clock? That's a bit early for a meeting, isn't it?"

"He must be having a hard time getting away."

Draco nodded and folded the note, handing it back to Snape. "Do you want me to go?"

"Yes, and take Potter and his friend, as well."

Draco groaned.

Snape's eyes narrowed a fraction. "They need to become familiar with the procedure."

"Fine," Draco huffed.

Snape scowled. "Don't be a child, Mr Malfoy, and don't let your emotions get in the way of your work. This is a war, not some excuse for jilted lover's revenge."

Draco closed his mouth and nodded. Snape was right, he was forgetting the big picture. Harry had obviously moved on and he should just swallow his pride, take it like a man, and accept it.

"Good," said Snape. "Now go tell those two to get ready, it's nearly five-thirty already."

Draco pushed aside his feelings and went in search of Cody.

He could hear the sound of muffled voices coming from the sitting room and went to investigate. He could hear Cody speaking very fast to someone inside. Draco glanced behind him to make sure that Snape was indeed still in the kitchen, then tip-toed to the door to peek in.

Cody was sitting on the couch next to a very shell-shocked looking Ron.

"I don't know…" Ron whispered, hesitantly. "What about Harry?"

Draco's jaw dropped.

"Draco?"

The blond jumped guiltily and spun around. "Er, hello, Harry."

Cody and Ron stopped talking and looked up.

Harry walked towards him. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, I was just looking…uh, for you," Draco lied.

A cornered look appeared in Harry's eyes. "Why?"

"You and Cody are to come with me to meet Laszlo tonight."

"Alright." Harry nodded, looking relieved. "When?"

"We need to be there by six, so we should leave within the next ten minutes or so."

"Is there anything I need to bring?"

"Just your wand and a dark cloak."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Draco watched Harry walk past him towards the stairs with an ache in his heart. The only conversation between them so far and it had been about work.

"Harry!" Cody called after him, running out of the sitting room. "Harry, wait!"

Harry kept walking and started up the staircase.

"Don't be like this," Cody begged, catching up to him.

"We'll talk about it later," Harry hissed, but not so quietly that Draco didn't hear.

The two disappeared from view and the sound of a door slamming echoed down the stairway.

Draco forced down the smug smile pulling at his lips and turned to Ron who was trying to hedge past him into the hallway. "What the hell is going on, Weasley?" he asked, suspiciously.

"What? Nothing." The tips of Ron's ears turned a bright pink as he avoided Draco's gaze and hurried away.

"Am I the only one without any secrets around here?" Draco wondered aloud.

Ten minutes later and Harry was back downstairs wearing a long black cloak over his Muggle clothes.

"Where's Cody?" Draco asked gruffly, impatient to get their little trip over with.

"He's not coming," Harry informed him, adjusting the clasp on his cloak.

"Why not?"

"Dumbledore needed someone to accompany Ron back to headquarters after seeing Ginny home and Cody volunteered."

Draco didn't feel smug in the least anymore, he felt ill. Was Cody really planning on cheating on Harry right under his nose? With his best friend no less? "Harry-"

"Let's go," Harry said brusquely, turning towards the door.

Draco decided to drop it for the time being and followed Harry out of the house.

The two walked along the winding lane in silence.

"When is it safe to disapparate?" Harry eventually asked.

"When we reach the old abandoned church. It's about a five minute walk."

Harry nodded and the silence resumed.

The church finally appeared around the next bend, its crumbling stone walls sheltered by the overhanging branches of the forest on either side of the dirt lane.

Draco couldn't take it any longer. "Harry, this has got to stop!" he cried, stopping dead in the middle of the road.

"What?" Harry feigned ignorance.

"You know damn well what!"

Harry clenched his jaw, seeming to swell with anger. "Fine, you want to have this conversation now? Go ahead!"

"Well, when did you _want_ to have this conversation? 'Cause you sure haven't made much of an effort to talk to me so far."

Harry's eyes blazed. "Can you blame me? I thought it'd be easier on both of us if we just didn't talk about it."

Draco gaped. "You weren't _ever_ planning to talk to me? I can't believe you'd be so selfish!"

"Selfish?" Harry roared. "Me?!"

"Yes, you!"

"How dare…how can you say that when you're the one who owes me an apology!"

"I knew it!" Draco crowed. "I knew this was all because you were still hung up on that!"

"Hung up?" Harry repeated, wounded. "Of course I'm still 'hung up' on that." He paused, his anger receding. "You really hurt me…"

Draco sighed heavily. "I know, but there's nothing I can do about it now. What's done is done and all I can say is I'm sorry. I know it sounds trite, but…can't we still be friends at least?"

Harry frowned and toed the ground, brow furrowed in thought. "Don't you think it'd be kind of uncomfortable?"

"We can be adult about this, right?" Draco said, magnanimously.

Harry smiled a little. "I suppose we can." He swallowed and looked up, his emerald eyes full of sincerity. "If it helps, I promise I won't bring it up again."

Draco returned the tentative smile. "Thanks."

"And you don't have to apologize anymore. Like you said, what's done is done and we should just move on."

"Wow, that's very big of you," Draco said in surprise.

"I can be an adult." Harry smiled.

"So…everything's okay now?"

"I guess."

Draco laughed. "This is going to take some work, I still feel awkward as hell."

Harry chuckled, the tension easing. "Me, too."

"We should get going," Draco said, reluctantly.

"Right."

They walked through the long grass to the stone church. Harry walked inside and explored the tiny building with interest.

"I like it," he decided.

"What, the church?" Draco scoffed, keeping his cloak from brushing against the mildewed pews and moss covered walls.

"It's peaceful." Harry walked into a shaft of sunlight that was slanting across the raised pulpit and smiled back at him.

Draco swallowed at the picture Harry presented; emerald eyes and dark hair shining in the bright sun and those kissable lips quirked into a lop-sided grin.

"We should go," he finally said, mouth dry.

"Okay." Harry hopped down and jogged up the aisle. He stopped in front of Draco and smiled thoughtfully at him.

"What?"

"I'm glad you still want to be friends," he decided.

Draco smiled. "Me, too. Ready?"

"Wait! I don't know where I'm going."

"Just hold on." Draco grasped Harry's hand before he could protest. "Okay?"

Harry quickly recovered and nodded.

Draco smiled and they disappeared with a pop.

He felt his feet hit solid ground again and he opened his eyes. He and Harry were standing in a cramped alleyway, surrounded by trash bins and stacks of old newspapers.

"Where are we exactly?" Harry asked, letting go of his hand and looking around.

"London," Draco answered, glancing around them and trying to ignore the faint tingling Harry's touch had left upon his hand.

"What if the Muggles see us?"

"They can't, this alley is protected. Dumbledore and Severus secured it themselves."

Harry plopped down onto a stack of newspapers and smiled in amusement. "Severus?"

Draco shrugged and continued to survey the area. "I've really gotten to know him in the last year and a half. We've worked through some pretty tense situations together, and I can talk to him about anything and he understands 'cause he went through he same thing."

Harry leaned forward onto his knees as he listened, chin in hand. "Sorry for freaking out about your Dark Mark, by the way. I don't know why I did, Snape told me you had it. I guess it was just a bit…shocking to actually see it in person."

Draco leaned against the brick wall of the adjacent building and turned to look at Harry. "Don't worry about it, I'm used to it."

"Did it hurt?" Harry asked quietly after a pause.

"Yes."

"Oh." Harry looked away, absently chewing on a thumbnail.

Draco smiled. "Did you want me to lie?"

Harry stopped biting his nail. "Will it ever come off?"

"Yes. When Voldemort dies."

"So, no pressure, right?" Harry said, wryly.

Draco laughed. "Hey, what's the life of Harry Potter without pressure?"

Harry snorted. "I have no idea, it hasn't happened yet, but I'll let you know."

Draco smiled and glanced towards the entrance of the alley. A steady stream of people were walking by on the street, carrying shopping bags and chatting with their friends. He watched a little wistfully as two young men strode by holding hands. He glanced back at Harry and saw that the brunette had gone back to chewing his nails.

"Cody seems nice," he said eventually.

Harry looked up. "What? Oh, yeah, he is."

Draco swallowed past the lump in his throat as a slow smile spread across Harry's face at the mention of the blond Aussie. "So how long did it take before you threw yourself at him and begged for a date?" he asked, trying to sound light-hearted.

"What makes you think that _I _had to ask _him_?" Harry retorted indignantly.

Draco raised a brow.

"The first time I heard him say g'day," Harry confessed.

Draco forced a laugh and turned his focus back to the street.

Harry went back to chewing his nails.

"There he is." Draco straightened up and watched as a man dressed in Muggle clothing entered the alley and swiftly walked towards them.

Harry got to his feet and went to stand by Draco.

Laszlo's eyes darted around nervously as he approached. He was a tall, wiry man in his forties with a receding hairline and a thin mouth, and was dressed in brown corduroy trousers and a black turtleneck. He stared apprehensively at Harry.

"It's okay," Draco reassured him. "This is Harry Potter."

Laszlo's light brown eyes raked Harry's forehead for the famous scar and he nodded curtly in approval once he had confirmed his identity. He turned his attention back to Draco.

"I thought I had better contact you before you became concerned about my absence," he said in a dry voice.

"We _were_ getting a little worried," Draco admitted.

"There's not much to report," Laszlo continued. "The Dark Lord has been very quiet as of late."

"That's never a good thing," Draco murmured.

"He's definitely working on something in secret, and I have not been included in what he's up to, yet."

"Does anyone know?" Draco asked.

"Only a few as far as I can tell."

"Who?"

"Pettigrew, Bellatrix, Dolohov, and your father."

"Hmm…" Draco bit his lip. "Father hasn't mentioned anything to me."

Laszlo glanced around him warily, as if Voldemort could be lurking in the shadows nearby. "I'd better go."

"Yes, thanks again." Draco shook his hand briefly before Laszlo scuttled away towards the street, his head down.

Draco turned to Harry. "So that's Laszlo."

Harry smiled, his face looking a little pale. "Nervous bloke, isn't he?"

"Is something wrong?" Draco asked.

"It's just…nothing. It's nothing." Harry shook his head. "Are we going back now?"

"Yeah, I need to talk to Severus." Draco paused. "It was the mention of Bellatrix wasn't it?"

Harry sighed. "It just caught me off-guard, is all. I'm fine. I should get back so I can tell Cody everything in case he has to meet Laszlo one day."

"Okay, although…he's probably not back yet with Ron."

Harry's eyes dimmed considerably. "Oh, right."

"Prick," Draco thought vehemently of Cody. "The last thing Harry needs right now is a cheating boyfriend. I'll just have to have a little chat with that bastard tomorrow to make sure he's not doing anything that could land my fist in his face."

Draco looked down in surprise as Harry's hand slipped into his own.

"I don't really know the way yet, and I don't want to accidentally splinch myself," Harry explained with a tiny smile.

Draco gave his hand a squeeze. "Good idea."

They disapparated from the darkening alley with a loud pop.


	4. Out of Control

  
  
"Where were you yesterday?" Draco asked, dodging aside as Hermione flipped her wet hair upside down and wrapped a towel around her head, littering the bathroom floor with droplets of water in the process.

"I was visiting my parents, then Ernie and I did Harry and Cody's patrolling shift since they weren't around."

Draco set his comb back down on the counter next to his extensive collection of styling products. "Find anything interesting?"

"No, it was pretty quiet."

"Hmm..." Draco used his fingers to carefully place the blond strands of hair hanging down over his forehead just so.

"What did Laszlo have to say?" Hermione asked, squeezing some toothpaste onto her brush.

"Just the usual; he suspects Voldemort of planning some kind of secret attack behind his back."

"Poor guy."

"Yeah, he's due for a stroke any day now."

"So, how was it with Harry?" Hermione asked around a mouthful of foam.

Draco stopped fiddling with his hair and smiled at his reflection. "Good, we got a few things off of our chests and kind of made up. We even talked about Cody."

Hermione paused to spit into the sink. "You did?" she said in surprise. "So he actually told you that they were going out?"

"Yep."

"That must've been hard."

Draco shrugged. "I've been through worse."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You're taking this awfully well..." she said suspiciously. "You're even smiling."

"Am not."

"Yes, you are." Her eyes widened. "You're hoping that they'll break up, aren't you?"

"Is that a crime?" Draco smirked.

"That's a new level of pathetic, even for you," Hermione said in disgust, wiping her mouth on a nearby towel.

"What?"

"You're either really pathetic, sitting around moping while clinging to one tiny scrap of hope, or you're just really cruel waiting for Harry to get his heart broken after everything he's been through."

"_Or_, he's the cruel one and I'm willing to forgive him when he finally comes to his senses."

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook out her hair, leaving the towel draped around her shoulders as she began to brush out her damp locks. "What if this is it? What if Cody is_ the one_?"

Draco snorted. "I doubt it."

"It's possible."

He suddenly remembered the conversation he'd overheard yesterday. "Have you talked to Ron lately?"

"What about?"

"He didn't say anything important about Harry....or Cody?"

"No, why?"

"Never-mind, it's not important." Draco gave his reflection one final glance then edged past Hermione and exited the cramped bathroom that they shared.

"Hey!" she called after him. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

Draco smiled mysteriously and kept walking.

Hermione growled in frustration and stuck her tongue out at his back.

"Good morning, Harry," Draco greeted pleasantly, flashing Harry a smile as he entered the kitchen.

Harry's face lit up. "Hi, Draco," he replied, mouth full of cereal.

"Still talking with your mouth full?" Draco teased, sniffing the coffee simmering in the pot.

"Cody doesn't care," Harry shot back with a smile, smacking his lips loudly.

"What don't I care about?" Cody asked, coming in from the backyard, out of breath and sweaty from a brisk morning jog.

"I was just telling Draco how you don't care that I talk with my mouth full."

"I think it's sexy." Cody grinned, giving Harry a wink.

Harry burst out laughing and choked on his cereal.

"Am I missing something?" Draco frowned.

"Sorry, mate." Cody smiled at Draco, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders and resting his chin on the top of his head. "I guess it's kind of an inside joke. Isn't it, baby?"

Harry closed his eyes as his body shook with silent laughter. "I think I'm gonna be sick," he managed to gasp, eyes beginning to water.

Draco clenched his teeth together and filled a mug with hot coffee.

"Mmm...that smells great." Cody released the still giggling Harry and walked over to get some coffee himself.

Draco immediately took the opportunity to grab the chair beside Harry and sat down.

Harry tried to regain his composure and began to eat his breakfast again, eyes still twinkling in amusement.

Cody sat down across from Draco as Hermione, Ron, and Ernie entered the sun-filled room and moved around taking various things out of the cupboards for breakfast.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Ernie asked, sitting down with half a grapefruit and a spoon.

"Not much," Draco answered. "Who's volunteering for patrol duty tonight?"

"We'll do it," Harry offered, glancing at Cody, "since we missed our turn last night."

"Great, it's settled then. Everyone else has a free day." Draco smiled and took a sip of his coffee. "And Harry you don't need to go until it gets dark, you can do whatever you want until then."

"Excellent." Harry smiled. "Cody and I have some practising to do."

"Are you going to practice here?" Hermione asked, joining the table with a plate full of toast and peanut butter.

"Yeah, I guess." Harry turned to look over his shoulder at the expanse of private land stretching out behind Moony House. "I think it'll be safe."

"Should be fine," Cody agreed.

"Mind if we watch?" Ron asked, while tending to a pan of scrambled eggs on the stove.

"I don't see why not." Cody shrugged, looking to Harry.

Harry returned the shrug. "Sure, if you want."

Ernie smiled. "Brilliant! I've been dying to see what you guys can do."

Harry laughed. "It's really not all that exciting."

"Aw, don't be modest, Sparky." Cody grinned, then turned to the others. "You should see him levitate."

They all turned wide-eyed towards Harry.

"You can levitate?" Hermione asked in astonishment.

"Yeah," Harry mumbled, glaring at Cody.

Cody laughed. "Hey, remember the time you fell into that river?"

Harry snorted. "How could I forget? It was bloody freezing."

Draco scowled into his mug, hating it when Harry and Cody reminisced about things that happened that he wasn't a part of.

"You fell into a river?" Ron laughed. "What were trying to do?"

"Julian sent us on this trip into the woods and we had to survive there for a month on our own, and I was attempting to levitate across this river without getting my clothes wet, only I sort of lost it halfway across and fell in."

"I got him warm again pretty fast, though," Cody added, mischievously. "Didn't even have to use magic."

Harry snorted into his cereal for the second time that morning.

Draco set down his empty mug. "Hey, Harry, remember the time you tried to convince me to take a midnight swim in the lake with you and then the squid ended up stealing your bathing suit and I was sitting on the shore laughing my ass off?"

Harry threw back his head and laughed. "Oh my god, I almost forgot about that! And you wouldn't help me, you stupid prat. You just kept laughing!"

Draco smiled, shooting a glance at Cody. "I couldn't help it, you looked so funny, especially when you tried to hide yourself behind that piece of moss."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. Draco smiled, pleased with himself.

"When did that happen?" Ron asked, hopping up on the counter to eat, his plate of eggs balanced precariously on his lap.

"Over the summer," Harry answered.

Cody raised a brow at Draco then turned to Harry. "Do you remember the time we had to spend the entire night up that tree and we just sat there all night and talked, then the next morning that giant bird started attacking your red sweater and you had to take it off and throw it away to get rid of him?"

"Yeah." Harry smiled in remembrance.

Draco raised a brow at Cody's triumphant glance and took up the unspoken challenge. "Hey, Harry, remember the time we snuck into Hogsmeade through the cellar in Honeydukes and you got the sleeve of your jumper caught in the cotton candy machine and you had to leave it behind?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, not missing a thing between the two rivals.

"Geez, Harry, do you end up naked in every story?" Ron asked.

"Just in the ones worth telling." Draco smirked.

"Hey, remember the time Julian made you go to practice with only those tiny, tight, black shorts on?" Cody asked, innocently.

"I'm leaving," Hermione announced with another roll of her eyes. "Ron, you can have my chair."

"What about it?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Oh, nothing." Cody smiled. "Just thought it was worth mentioning."

"Harry, remember the time I accidentally walked in on you in the prefect's bathroom?" Draco spoke up.

"Yeah sure, _an accident_." Harry laughed.

"Subtle," Cody observed with a roll of his eyes in Draco's direction. "Hey, remember the time you accidentally set my pants on fire?"

"Ha!" Draco exclaimed. "You already told that one! Harry, remember the time we went to that karaoke bar?"

"What?!" Harry cried.

"Oh, wait, that wasn't you..."

"Ha!" Cody pointed at him triumphantly.

Harry frowned, looking between the two with sudden comprehension.

"Hey, remember the time we went to that club and that guy paid you to do a strip-tease on the bar?"

"What?!" Harry exclaimed in horror, staring at Cody. "That did _not _happen," he hurriedly assured Ron and Ernie, who were looking beyond stunned.

"Is that all you got, then?" Draco taunted.

"You wish."

"Oh, for god's sake!" Harry cried in exasperation.

Draco stood up and leaned across the table. "Then show me what you've got."

Cody pushed back his chair.

"Stop it!" Harry demanded, caught between amusement and annoyance.

Ron and Ernie glanced between Draco and Cody with their mouths open, heads swivelling back and forth as if they were at a tennis match.

"Don't push me, Malfoy," Cody warned.

Draco sneered. "What's the matter, did a dingo eat your baby?"

Ernie let out a snort of laughter.

"Draco!" Harry said, sharply.

"At least I'm not a fucking ratbag!"

"Cody, that's enough!" Harry shoved back his chair and stood up. The mug in front of Cody suddenly exploded into a hundred pieces.

Cody took a step back, his fists unclenching. "Sorry, Harry. I'll stop." He waved a hand and the broken pieces of ceramic flew back together and the mug stood as good as new on the table once more.

Draco exhaled and sat down, still eyeing Cody.

Harry frowned and closed his eyes, wearily pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

Ron and Ernie glanced at each other and mutually decided to go back to eating their breakfast, pretending that there wasn't a tense and awkward silence filling the room.

Draco glanced at Harry's tired expression and immediately felt sorry for causing a scene. "Sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to – ow!"

Harry's eyes flew open as everyone turned to stare at Draco.

"Shit," Draco swore, clutching his arm.

"Voldemort?" Harry asked, voice wavering slightly.

"Yeah..." Draco stood up. "Someone needs to send word to Dumbledore for me."

"I'll do it," Ernie promised.

"I have to go." Draco glanced at Harry before walking out.

Harry followed him to the front door. "Wait!"

Draco opened the door and paused. "What is it?"

Harry swallowed anxiously. "Be careful."

Draco smiled. "I'm always careful."

"Just...don't do anything stupid."

Draco chuckled softly. "See ya later, Harry."

Harry nervously watched as Draco turned and walked away.

Cody came up behind him. "Are we going to practice now?"

"Yeah," Harry answered heavily, eyes still on the departing Slytherin.

**. . . .******

Draco carefully kept his face neutral as he stood beside his father in the circle of black-robed Death Eaters. Voldemort had just thrown a Muggle child into the middle of the circle. She was cowering in the dirt, her watery brown eyes shifting from face to face as she looked around the group in terror.

Draco swallowed, forcing down the sickness he felt as he watched, knowing that this little girl was not going to escape whatever the Dark Lord had planned unscathed.

Voldemort himself stepped into the ring, Pettigrew at his side.

"Welcome, my _loyal_ servants," he greeted with a cold smile.

Draco didn't miss the added emphasis on the word 'loyal.'

"I do not want you growing idle in this time of quiet, so as a treat I have brought you this Muggle to play with. I want you to practice on her for a few hours, I do not wish to see my Death Eaters growing rusty."

Draco immediately knew that this wasn't for their benefit, but was a test in loyalty. The Dark Lord was obviously still trying to work out who among them was spilling their secrets to the other side.

Voldemort's eyes swept the circle. "And at the end I shall choose one out of the group to brush up on their Avada Kedavra skills."

Draco's heart stopped as those red eyes came to rest on him.

"Young Malfoy, I do believe you have not had that pleasure thus far in your life."

"No, sir," Draco answered respectfully, trying to appear mildly excited at the prospect.

Voldemort nodded approvingly, that cold smile still in place. "Let us begin."

Draco slowly withdrew his wand, the other Death Eaters around him doing the same. His hand was steady but his insides were shaking violently.

Voldemort motioned for him to go first.

The little girl turned wide pleading eyes up at Draco as he stepped forward.

Draco took a deep breath, acutely aware of his father's eyes on him as he raised his wand.

"Crucio!"

**. . . . **

Draco sat hunched over the bar in the Leaky Cauldron, staring with haunted eyes into his drink.

Snape had left him alone to brood about an hour ago, leaving him with a warning against becoming inebriated to drown his sorrows. A double agent should never lose control of his actions, there was no telling what they might let slip to the wrong person. So Draco sat nursing a glass of butterbeer, the hood of his cloak hanging around his face to ward off any unwelcome conversation with venturing strangers.

He pushed his drink away with a weary sigh and was about to get up to leave when a voice amongst the chattering crowd caught his attention. He lifted the left side of his hood and looked around the gathered patrons of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Great," he thought sarcastically as he caught sight of Cody walking off to the hallway where the bathrooms were located. "Just what I need to see right now – Harry and that twat out on a date."

Draco dropped his hood back into place and stood up. He was halfway out the door when he realized that Harry and Cody were supposed to be patrolling right now, not using the time to go out and drink.

He turned right back around and stormed up to the dimly lit hallway. He walked in and froze in his tracks, the sight of Cody and Harry snogging stabbing him straight through the heart.

He ducked into the shadows and leaned back against the wall, one hand on his chest. He couldn't believe how much it hurt to see Harry kissing someone else. The boy he'd given his first kiss to was now kissing that...that...red-head?

Draco's eyes widened. There was no mistaking that bright red Weasley hair anywhere.

He felt his blood boil and took a step towards the preoccupied couple, then thought better of it and crept out of the hallway. He left the Leaky Cauldron behind him and headed for home.

_This is Harry's business, I'll tell him what I saw and let him deal with it however he wants to on his own. _Draco smirked as he apparated to the old church and stepped out onto the twilit road._ And I'll be the friend that's there for him, the shoulder to cry on. He'll be mine again in no time._

"James Marsters." Draco gave the password and pushed open the front door.

"Cody?" Harry's head appeared around the corner of the kitchen expectantly. "Oh, Draco, it's you."

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Draco called to him before Harry could turn away.

"Yeah, sure." Harry walked into the hallway questioningly.

"Uh...let's go in here," Draco suggested, motioning to the sitting room.

Harry had that trapped look in his eyes again as he nodded mutely and walked into the cozy room. He waved a hand at the fireplace and the logs burst into flame.

Draco put his hands on the back of the old chintz chair and licked his lips, wondering just how to start. Now that he was here with Harry standing across from him, he didn't really feel much like telling him what he had seen. He'd already seen that devastated look on Harry's face before and once was enough.

But Harry needed to know. The sooner the better.

"Harry," Draco began uncertainly. "There's something I have to tell you."

Harry tensed.

"I was at the Leaky Cauldron tonight and I saw Cody-"

"Shit."

"What?" Draco looked up.

Harry sighed. "You saw Cody and Ginny, right?"

Draco frowned. "Ginny? I thought...but..."

Harry ran a hand through his dark hair and closed his eyes. "I think you'd better sit down."

"I prefer standing, thanks," Draco answered apprehensively, eyes locked on Harry.

Harry took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "Cody isn't my boyfriend. He never was and he never will be. He's not even gay."

Draco quickly sat down.

* * *

**_A/N_**_ -_ _In case anyone wants to know, there are going to be eight chapters to this story. (Smiles at the people who know who James Marsters is, you will enjoy chapter seven)._


	5. From the Heart

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_A/N - This chapter probably raises more questions then answers them, but don't worry, all will be revealed in due time..._

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"What?" Draco stared at Harry uncomprehendingly. "What are you talking about?" 

Harry forced himself to sit down opposite Draco and calmly fold his hands in his lap. "Cody is not my boyfriend."

"So you lied?"

"No, I never actually said that I was going out with him."

Draco was still confused and also beginning to feel a little angry. "Oh, come off it, Harry, you knew very well what it looked like; you slept in the same room, you sat on his lap…"

Harry's cheeks were by now a very deep crimson. "I know, I know. We _pretended_ to be a couple. Also, there are two single beds in that room."

"Why would you pretend? And why would Cody go along with it?"

"I asked him to."

"Why in Merlin's name would you do that, Harry?"

Harry looked at the floor in embarrassment. "I wanted you to think that I had a boyfriend."

"Me? You did this because of me? Why…" Draco trailed off, suddenly understanding. Pretending to have a boyfriend was Harry's way of trying to tell him that he just wanted to be friends and that he didn't want to start their relationship again. "Oh, I get it. You just wanted to make the situation easier again, no messy conversations and painful letdowns, right?"

Harry nodded, cheeks still red. "It was dumb, I know. You don't know how embarrassed I am about the whole thing now, I should've just talked to you the first day I got back like you wanted." Harry twisted his hands uncomfortably in his lap. "I was never any good at dealing with painful situations like these, I guess I was just trying to avoid the issue - as usual. You understand why I did it though, right?"

Draco nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"I'll tell everyone the truth." Harry sighed. "Ron's the only one who knows. Then Cody is free to see Ginny without people thinking he's cheating on me. I'm just sorry I dragged him into all of this in the first place."

Draco swallowed. "But you still don't mind if we're friends, right?"

Harry smiled. "No, of course not - as long as you don't bring this up again."

Draco smiled half-heartedly. "Now we both have certain past events that we're not allowed to talk about."

Harry's smile faded. "You don't think this will be too hard for you, do you? Being friends, I mean?"

Draco forced a smile and shook his head. "No, I promise, it'll be just fine."

Harry smiled in relief. "I'm so glad. You know, you're probably my best friend now, you know me better than anyone."

_I thought I did_, Draco added privately.

Harry suddenly laughed. "I'm surprised you didn't just walk right up and punch Cody in the face tonight."

This time Draco really did smile. "I almost did, but then I decided to let you deal with it on your own."

"Well, thanks for being angry on my behalf."

Draco laughed. "No problem, call me anytime you need to have a cheating boyfriend beaten into submission." _Hopefully that won't be anytime soon._

"I don't think that'll be for awhile," Harry said, leaning back in his chair and staring at the fire.

Draco lifted a brow in surprise and tried to think of something to lighten the mood, although inside he was secretly glad that Harry wasn't ready to jump back into the dating world just yet. "You know, I knew Cody wasn't gay all along."

Harry turned and smiled. "Oh, you did, did you? And how, may I ask?"

Draco smirked. "Because he never tried to come on to me."

Harry laughed. "I guess I should've told him to flirt with you in order to be _truly_ believable."

"Natuarally. Although, are you really sure he's straight? 'Cause he seemed awfully angry with me at times."

Harry looked slightly uncomfortable as he answered. "He was only acting like that because…well, because he doesn't really like you."

Draco frowned. "Doesn't like me? He doesn't even know me."

"I sort of told him some stuff," Harry mumbled.

"You told him lies about me?"

Harry's eyes darkened slightly, but his tone remained light. "I didn't have to, I just told him the truth."

"Oh."

"And I was a little angry at the time, so it might have sounded worse then it actually was…if that's possible."

Draco glanced up sharply. "I thought you promised-"

"I know, forget it. I didn't mean to bring it up again."

They lapsed into silence.

"Were all those stories that Cody told at breakfast true?" Draco asked after a few minutes of staring into the fire.

"Yeah, except the strip tease one." Harry smiled.

Draco smiled back.

"We can do this, right?" Harry asked. "We can make the 'just friends' thing work."

Draco sighed and pulled at a loose thread on the arm of his chair. He tried to imagine his life without Harry…

"Because if you don't want to, I'll understand," Harry said quietly, misinterpreting Draco's silence.

The trouble was, Draco_ couldn't_ imagine his life without Harry in it in some capacity. Being friends was better than nothing, and he'd just have to learn to live with the fact that they would never be anything more again.

Draco looked up and was surprised to see Harry's eyes swimming with tears. "Harry?"

Harry smiled and hastily wiped his eyes. "Don't mind me."

Draco hesitated, he wanted to go over and hug Harry but he didn't want to cross that invisible boundary that now existed between them.

Draco leaned forward in his chair. "Of course we can make the friends thing work. Don't worry about it, Harry, I'll still be your friend no matter what, it just might take some time."

Harry smiled through his tears. "Thanks, that means a lot to me." He shook his head as if to stop himself from saying more and stood up. "I'd better get going, Cody will be here any minute to pick me up."

Draco raised a brow. "Hot date?"

Harry chuckled. "Oh yeah, a hot date of patrolling for Death Eaters. If that's not a turn on I don't know what is."

Draco laughed and watched Harry walk out into the hallway and disappear from view. He leaned back in his chair and stared into the slowly dying fire.

_We **will** make it work. Despite what everyone else thinks, it is possible for the two of us to have a nice, normal friendship and have it last for more than a few months. I shouldn't have expected Harry to just waltz back into his old life and accept me back after what I did. I should be happy for his offer of friendship. I **will** be happy. This **will** work…_

**. . . .**

Draco slept in late the next morning. He had waited up the night before to make sure that Harry arrived back safely and then couldn't seem to fall asleep for hours afterwards.

He stumbled downstairs into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee pot.

Hermione smiled at him from the table, a buttered scone in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. "Late night?"

"Yeah." Draco ran a hand through his un-brushed hair and poured himself some of the still warm coffee.

"I never got a chance to ask you about your meeting yesterday, how did it go?"

Draco walked over to the window, mug in hand, and stared out at the overcast day. Harry was outside, sitting on the back fence with his back to the house, staring out at the grass covered fields beyond.

"It was horrible," he answered, watching Harry. "What's Harry doing?"

Hermione stood at his side and looked out the window. "Brooding. What happened at the meeting?"

Draco sighed and took a sip of coffee, trying to push away the picture of that little Muggle girl with the big brown eyes. "Voldemort is growing more and more suspicious; he wanted to test our loyalty to the cause."

"What did he do?"

He shook his head as if to clear it. "Look, can we not talk about it right now?"

"Of course." Hermione immediately backed off, knowing when not to push the blond for more details.

"Why is Harry brooding?" Draco asked, searching for a distraction from the memory of that horrible Death Eater meeting.

Hermione turned to look back out at Harry with a concerned frown. "He got another invitation to go to Hogwarts from Julian." She handed the paper in her hand to Draco.

"So?" he asked, reading it.

"He refused – again."

Draco handed the invitation back. "Is that where Cody is right now?"

"Yeah, everyone's there. I tried to talk to him but he wouldn't listen."

"Would _you_ want to go back if you were in his place?"

"No, but I think it would be good for him in the long run."

Draco nodded. "He'll go when he's ready."

"Maybe you could talk to him."

"Hmmm…" Draco made a non-committal noise and took another sip of coffee.

"I wish Dumbledore would come and see him, he hasn't been here once since Harry's return."

"He's a busy man, he doesn't have time for people's feelings."

"Draco, you know he looks on Harry like a son," Hermione said, defensively.

"Then why isn't he here?"

Hermione fell silent, unable to answer.

They watched as Harry hopped off of the fence and bent down to pick up a rock. He threw it up in the air and waved his other hand towards it. The rock instantly turned into a white dove and sailed down to land on Harry's shoulder.

"Holy shit," Draco breathed, impressed.

Hermione smiled. "That's nothing, you should see all the other stuff he can do now."

Draco smiled as Harry made another dove and the two snow white birds flew off together.

Hermione shook her head with a smile. "That boy really is a romantic at heart," she said, affectionately. "I must say I was surprised to hear about Cody."

"So he told you, did he?"

"Yes, but he didn't tell me why. Do you know?"

"No." Draco set his mug down on the counter. If Harry didn't want people to know then he would respect that.

Hermione sighed. "Well, I'm off to Hogwarts. Will you be okay here alone?"

"I'm not alone."

Hermione glanced at Harry before turning to leave. "You might as well be," she said on her way out the door.

Draco thought that that was unusually harsh for Hermione, but then she was probably just frustrated and worried about her friend. He pulled open the sliding glass door and walked outside. He strolled up to the fence with his hands in his jean pockets.

Harry was still watching the doves when he heard Draco's approach. "I hope you're not here to convince me to go to Hogwarts because you're not going to win."

Draco leaned his arms on the top rail of the wooden fence. "I'm not."

"Good." Harry reached down and tore up handfuls of the long grass at his feet. He threw them up in the air and waved a hand. The grass transformed into fluttery pieces of white confetti that slowly started to drift down towards the earth.

"Looks like snow," Draco observed.

Harry glanced back at him sharply, then waved a hand and the confetti burst into flame.

Draco started in surprise. "That was kind of sadistic."

Harry looked down at the tiny pieces of ash lying on the ground. He flicked his wrist at them and little yellow flowers rose up out of the dirt and burst into bloom.

"Now make a bunny," Draco demanded in a whiny little kid's voice.

Harry smiled and waved a hand over a lone stick sitting next to the flowers. The stick rose off of the ground a few centimetres and morphed into a tiny brown bunny.

"Hey, that's a stuffed bunny!" Draco complained with an amused smile.

"You didn't specify." Harry shrugged, straight-faced.

"Hmph."

Harry picked up the little toy bunny and walked over to Draco. "Hold out your hands."

Draco complied curiously.

Harry placed the bunny on his upturned palms, glancing up at Draco's intent expression with a smile. Harry placed his hands on his knees and leaned over so that he was eye to eye with the stuffed animal.

Draco watched in fascination as the rabbit's ears suddenly twitched, then the nose, then the big eyes blinked. The weight in his hands suddenly increased and he could actually feel heat flooding the tiny body with life.

Harry smiled in satisfaction and straightened up. The transformation was complete.

"Wow…that was incredible." Draco stroked the soft fur between the baby rabbit's ears.

Harry shrugged and climbed back up on the fence, watching from the top rail as Draco pet the little animal.

"I think I'll call him….Harry junior," Draco decided with a teasing grin.

Harry laughed. "I don't see the resemblance."

"Can you make its eyes green?"

"Sure." Harry flicked his wrist almost lazily and the bunny's eyes changed from deep brown to bright emerald.

Draco wrinkled his nose. "Now he looks possessed."

Harry laughed and changed them back.

"Will he run away if I put him down?" Draco asked.

"Not if you don't want him to." Harry touched the tip of his finger to the bunny's back and nodded to Draco.

Draco placed him on the ground and chuckled as his new pet hopped over to inspect Harry's yellow flowers.

"You've changed," Harry commented thoughtfully.

Draco leaned back against the fence next to Harry, keeping an eye on his rabbit. "How do you mean?"

"You're different, you're more emotional or something. You used to keep that side of yourself to, well, yourself. Now I see you being openly thoughtful and kind and sensitive."

"Great, so I'm turning into a girl." Draco snorted. "In my defence, I have been spending most of my time with Granger. Her girliness must be rubbing off."

"It wasn't meant as an insult. It's nice to know a person can escape his upbringing.

Draco looked at the ground and kicked at the dirt. "I think it helps that I'm not around my old Slytherin classmates anymore."

"What happened to them?" Harry asked, quietly. "Are any of them on our side, too?"

"No."

Harry chewed his lip and watched Draco's bunny bite tentatively at a blade of grass. "I'm glad_ you're_ on our side."

"Me, too." Draco smiled. "Just for the record though, I am _still_ a Slytherin."

"Who happens to have a little, furry baby bunny." Harry grinned.

Draco picked up his rabbit and stared at it thoughtfully. "You may not know this, but this is actually a killer rabbit."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, he may not look it now but once he's a few years older – he'll be deadly."

Harry laughed. "Then I think he needs a tougher name."

Draco smiled and climbed onto the fence next to Harry, holding the bunny to his chest. "I think you're right."

"How about Spike?" Harry suggested.

"Nah, too undignified. He's not some junkyard pit-bull."

"Hey!" Harry cried, offended.

"What?"

"Never-mind."

"What about Xavier Lamentationes Ieremiae?"

Harry grimaced. "No, too long. How about Fluffy?"

Draco looked scandalized. "Ugh, no!"

Harry laughed and reached over to pet the nameless bunny. "So you want something pompous but not too long."

"How about Cody?" Draco smirked.

Harry burst out laughing, almost falling off of the fence. "I'm going to tell him you said that!"

Draco held the bunny out in front of him speculatively. "I guess he's stuck with Harry, jr."

"The poor thing," Harry sympathised.

"Happy birthday Harry, jr," Draco said to his new pet, whose eyes were beginning to droop sleepily. "Speaking of birthdays…"

Harry groaned. "I was hoping you would forget."

"Not likely, you're going to be the ripe old age of eighteen tomorrow and we have big party planned."

"You do not."

Draco smiled mysteriously. "Indeed we do."

Harry rolled his eyes but looked secretly pleased.

Draco noticed this with a self-satisfied smile.

Harry looked up as a raindrop landed on the end of his nose.

"I'd better get Harry, jr inside," Draco said, glancing up at the grey clouds.

Harry laughed and hopped down. "That is going to take me forever to get used to."

Draco carefully climbed down, trying not to jostle the sleeping bunny in his arms. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"Nope." Harry dusted his hands off on his trousers.

"Great, I'll have whatever you're making."

Harry glared, but quickly broke into a helpless smile. "Okay, so maybe you haven't changed _that_ much."

Draco smirked as the two headed back to the house together.


	6. Let It Out

_- I'm sorry that I hurt you  
__It's something I must live with every day  
__And all the pain I put you through  
__I wish that I could take it all away  
__And be the one who catches all your tears  
__That's why I need you to hear  
__I'm not a perfect person, I never meant to do those things to you  
__And so I have to say before I go  
__That I just want you to know… -_

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Draco stopped talking as Harry wandered downstairs into the front hallway. 

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione called out cheerfully.

Harry smiled and glanced between the two. "I hope I'm not interrupting," he teased.

"It's okay." Hermione giggled. "We're done." She discreetly slipped a piece of paper into the pocket of her pink zip-up hoodie and shared a secretive smile with Draco before heading out the front door.

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Harry with a smile. "So, do you feel any older?"

Harry shrugged. "Nope."

Draco reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch.

Harry stepped over to get a closer look. "Hey, isn't that the same…" he trailed off, biting his lip.

"The very same," Draco answered, knowingly. "It seems Hermione had to fish it out of the Ministry fountain after you'd accidentally dropped it in."

Harry raised his eyes to Draco's face. "It wasn't an accident.

"I know." Draco smiled. "It's okay."

"I'm glad you got it back, I regretted it the minute after I'd done it. It really was a beautiful gift," he said, fingering the soft fabric.

"You can have it back after I'm done with it."

"What are you doing with it?" Harry asked, curiously.

Draco loosened the gold drawstrings and opened it up for Harry to see inside. "It's holding the portkey."

"What portkey?"

"The one you and I are using today."

"To go where?" Harry asked with a suspicious smile.

"It's a secret." A flash of worry flitted across Draco's face for an instant then it was gone. "We need to get you out of the way for awhile while we set up for your big party."

"And you're coming with me?"

Draco nodded. "I'm not so evil that I would just send you off to some unknown destination alone."

Harry smiled in relief.

"Ready?" Draco cinched the pouch and dropped it back into his pocket.

"I guess so." Harry smiled, feeling a little thrill of excitement.

Draco opened the door and Harry followed him out into the bright sunshine and up the road to the old church.

Draco took out the green pouch and opened it. He flipped it upside down and a silver keychain fell out onto the broken pew. Draco glanced at his watch then touched his wand to the keychain.

"Alright," he said, putting his wand away. "We've got ten seconds."

They each pinched a side of the keychain between their thumb and forefinger and waited.

Harry closed his eyes as Draco's watch ticked down the seconds. He hated travelling by portkey and braced himself as the time wound down – three, two, one…

The two were whisked away, the wind swirling around them with bright flashes of colour. They slammed into the ground and Harry fell over while Draco staggered and managed to remain upright.

Draco gave his head a little shake and put away the portkey. He looked down at Harry and waited.

Harry blinked a few times and froze.

They were standing in the middle of the long sloping grounds of Hogwarts.

Draco was grateful that the day had turned out so bright and sunny, it might help the place look less threatening to Harry.

Harry held his breath and slowly stood up, his eyes transfixed on the old familiar castle.

"If you want to leave we can," Draco said. "But I think you should give it a chance."

Harry's chest rose and fell rapidly as he appeared to be struggling with his emotions.

"Harry?"

"Just give me a sec…"

Draco shed his light-weight cloak and hung it over his arm as the hot sun beat down on them. "I figured this was the only way to get you to come back."

"You were right." Harry licked his dry lips as his eyes travelled over the rest of the grounds. "Did you have to choose to do it on my birthday, though?"

Draco smiled hesitantly. "I thought it would help. You know - another year older another year stronger."

Harry still looked slightly pale and shaken but he smiled a little in return.

"So…do you want to stay?"

Harry exhaled resignedly. "Alright, but I don't want to go inside…yet."

"Sure, why don't we start by walking over to the quidditch pitch?"

"Okay, I can do that." Harry fell into step beside Draco and walked the familiar path towards the distant quidditch pitch, the hoops standing tall against the back-drop of clear blue sky.

"We shouldn't be bothered," Draco spoke up. "I let Dumbledore know that we would be visiting today and to keep everyone away."

"I see you still take great pleasure in ordering other people around."

"I thought you said I was sweet and sensitive?" Draco chided.

"I never said sweet," Harry reminded. "And I might take it all back after the stunt you pulled today."

Draco glanced sideways at him as they neared the empty stands. "You're not _really_ mad about it, are you?"

"I should be, but…I need to do this. I can't avoid this place forever and if it takes a sneaky, underhanded Slytherin to force me into it – so be it."

They stopped at the edge of the grass pitch.

"So I'm kind and sensitive _and_ sneaky and underhanded?"

"Yep." Harry walked out onto the pitch and shielded his eyes with his hands as he looked up at the stands, the colourful flags and the six hoops.

Draco joined him. "Does it look the same?"

"Yeah, hasn't changed a bit."

"Care for a quick game?"

"With two people and no brooms?"

"I just happen to know how to get past the lock on the equipment shed." Draco smiled smugly.

Harry turned to look at the shed located on the far side of the pitch. "That's where it all started…" he thought aloud.

Draco looked at him with concern.

Harry shook his head as if to chase away the memory. "Do you mind if I wait here? And please don't ask why."

"Of course. I'll be right back." Draco smiled reassuringly and jogged off to the shed. One of the conditions he'd set for this trip was to not push Harry in any way.

He bypassed the locking charm with a quick spell and grabbed one of the school brooms for himself. He smiled at the shining Firebolt hanging on the wall – Harry's broom. It was still here waiting for him.

Draco sat astride his broom and flew back to Harry with the Firebolt under his arm.

Harry's eyes widened. "Is that mine?"

"Yep." Draco smiled at Harry's excited expression. "Here."

Harry caught the broom as Draco sped off into the air. He smiled and fingered the polished gold label fondly.

"Are you just going to stare at it?" Draco called back.

Harry grinned and jumped on. He pushed off of the ground and soared up to meet Draco.

Draco nodded in satisfaction and the two started a spirited race around the perimeter of the stadium. For two hours they raced and played tag or floated carelessly. Draco eventually flew back down to the grass and sat back, watching Harry fly joyfully around at breakneck speed for another twenty minutes.

Harry dove down and made a perfect landing right beside the sprawled blond. He dropped his broom and flopped down onto the grass; sweaty and exhilarated.

"That was great!" he gasped, leaning back on his elbows.

Draco smiled to himself, feeling particularly content.

"So how was the last year of quidditch?" Harry asked, a smile permanently plastered on his flushed face.

"It was brilliant; Slytherin won hands down."

Harry chuckled. "You act like you had something to do with it."

"I did – I was seeker."

Harry blinked in surprise. "You were?"

"Yeah," Draco said, hesitantly. "The position was open after Christmas and I decided to play for the rest of the year, then one year turned into two."

"Congratulations."

"As the Gryffindor team so liked to remind me, it wasn't a true victory since you weren't there."

Harry sniggered.

They paused to watch a tawny owl soar by over their heads.

"I don't really know much of what went on here last year," Harry mused.

"Not much to tell really. It was quite boring without you to draw attacks form Voldemort or crazy monsters and the like."

"I'll try and make up for it this year," Harry replied, sarcastically.

"Don't worry about it." Draco grinned.

"So I really didn't miss anything? What about the graduation ceremony, what was it like?"

Draco let out a loud exaggerated snore.

Harry laughed. "Okay, never mind."

Draco cracked open one eye and smirked up at him.

Harry turned and lay down on his stomach, chin resting on his arms. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Where does your father think you are right now? I mean, you spend all your time at Moony House, doesn't he wonder where you are?"

"He thinks I'm spending the summer with Severus."

"Doing what?"

"Being his sex slave."

"Ew!" Harry grimaced through his laughter.

Draco chuckled. "Severus convinced my father that it would be safer for me to stay with him since Lucius is almost constantly at Voldemort's side, and I shouldn't be left at the Manor alone where the Ministry is keeping a close eye on things."

"Have they been watching ever since your father's release from prison?" Harry questioned.

Draco nodded.

Harry chewed his lip, staring off into the distance. "Draco?"

"Yeah?" Draco opened his eyes and glanced over, noting the serious tone in Harry's voice.

"Nobody told me…I never…I don't know what happened…to Ethan."

Draco sat up in a hurry. "Nobody told you?" he asked, incredulously. "And you didn't ask anyone until _now_?"

"I kind of wanted to avoid the subject, but I figure since I'm here I might as well confront everything at once."

Draco flicked his hair out of his eyes and thought a moment. "Alright…so you know he was found guilty on all charges, right?"

Harry nodded.

"Then the Ministry picked his brains for awhile. Didn't find anything of course."

"Really?" Harry looked surprised.

"Well, yeah. Ethan wasn't working for Voldemort."

Harry sat up. "He was working alone?"

"Yeah." Draco nodded. "His plan was to kill you so that he could win a place in Voldemort's circle. Problem was, Voldemort didn't want to have anything to do with him. He said Ethan was mentally unstable."

Harry snorted. "Hello kettle – you're black."

Draco quirked a brow.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Never mind, it's just some old Muggle saying."

"Hello kettle - you're black?"

"Forget it." Harry punched Draco's arm as the blond circled his finger in the air by his ear, demonstrating the international gesture for crazy.

"Prat."

"Arse."

They both smiled in camaraderie at the friendly bantering.

Harry crossed his legs and leaned forward onto his knees. "Aren't Ethan's parents still working for Voldemort?"

"Yes, but they don't want anything to do with him either. Did you know that Ethan was practically a squib?"

"What?"

"Yeah, that's why his parents gave him up for adoption – they were embarrassed by him."

"Wow…"

"And now he's in Azkaban where he belongs," Draco said, maliciously.

Harry slowly nodded.

"Was it all worth it?" Draco asked.

"Was what worth it?"

"Going through the trial. I know it wasn't easy, I remember you didn't even want to do it at first."

"I know." Harry sighed. "Yes, it was definitely worth it. Ethan's in Azkaban and I'm…well, still here I suppose."

Draco swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. What if Ethan _had_ won?

Harry smiled, trying to dispel the suddenly sombre atmosphere. "I think I'm ready to go inside now."

Draco stood. "Then let's go."

Harry got to his feet. "What about the brooms?"

"You can take yours with you."

"No, I think I'll lend it to the school for awhile. I'll get it back when this is all over with…if I'm still around that is."

Draco frowned. "Don't think about that, especially on your birthday."

"Seems like as good a time as any, considering that this might be the last one I ever have." Harry picked up both brooms and sent them flying back towards the shed with a wave of his hand.

"Stop it!" Draco exclaimed. "Of course you're going to defeat Voldemort. You bested him when you were only fourteen and now you're eighteen and a hundred times more powerful. So don't ever let me hear you talk like that again because it's complete bullshit and you know it."

Harry stared, dumbfounded.

"Let's go," Draco said, curtly.

Harry nodded and numbly followed beside Draco as he started off towards the school.

"I'm sorry," Draco said in a clipped tone. "But there's no sense in accepting failure before you've even begun."

Harry sighed. "I know, you're right. It's just being back here again…it digs up a lot of old feelings."

"You'll get through this, Harry. You will."

Harry nodded, even if he didn't quite believe it himself.

Draco softened slightly and quietly slipped his hand into Harry's as they walked.

Harry looked at him in surprise, then smiled. "Thanks."

"What are friends for?" Draco smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

Harry heaved a sigh and stared at the ground as they approached the entrance doors, a pained expression on his face.

"Ready?" Draco paused, one hand on the door.

Harry nodded. His head was full of vivid flashes of memories, horrible memories of Ethan and pain and humiliation…

Draco pushed open the doors and walked inside.

Harry set his jaw and followed.


	7. Disappear

**A/N – **I am going to apologize in advance to anyone who dislikes or has never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You might find this chapter either boring or confusing or whatever, and not nearly as amusing as BTVS fans. Sorry, but as the author I can do what I want. You really should watch the show – it's funny as hell. But this is the only chapter – I promise. Also, the next chapter is still going to be the last one.

* * *

Draco watched as a lone tear slipped down Harry's cheek. He turned away, feeling as though he was intruding on something private, and walked to the window of the Gryffindor common room to look out at the cloudless sky.

This was the last stop on their tour of the school, the last hurdle on Harry's trip down memory lane. They had gone everywhere; the library, old classrooms, the infirmary, the Great Hall – everywhere except for the Slytherin dorms. Harry flatly refused and Draco wasn't going to argue. The hardest part had been when Harry had completely broken down in the Great Hall and started sobbing. Draco had known it was going to be tough; it was the last place Ethan had hurt Harry, and Harry had to be remembering the wish for death that had escaped his lips in that very room.

Draco turned around and Harry smiled through his tears, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"Okay," Harry said. "I'm ready to go."

Draco smiled at the change in Harry's voice; he sounded as if whatever had been holding him captive for the last year and a half had finally been chased away for good. "Do you want to visit Dumbledore and Julian before we leave?"

"No," Harry said, shortly.

"They do know you're here."

"I just want to go home."

Draco nodded. "Okay, let's go home then."

The two slowly walked back through the school, retracing their steps back outside onto the front steps of the school.

Draco reactivated the portkey with his wand and Harry took one last look around before they were transported back to the old church.

"Here you go." Draco held out the empty velvet pouch for Harry to take, depositing the keychain in his pocket.

Harry hesitated. "Are you sure? _You_ bought it."

"For you."

"Yes, but…" Harry trailed off awkwardly.

"It's still yours. Go on."

Harry took the soft bag from Draco's hand and smoothed the velvet beneath his fingers. "Thanks."

"Well, it _is_ your birthday," Draco reminded. He turned and picked his way down the ivy covered aisle towards the exit.

"Would you mind if we just stayed here for a bit?" Harry called out suddenly.

Draco turned. "If you want."

Harry nodded and sat down on the steps of the raised platform at the front of the church, his fingers still playing with the velvet pouch.

Draco leapt neatly onto one of the few unbroken pews and sat down on the back of it, his feet planted firmly on the wooden bench. Harry sighed and leaned back. He looked up through the brightly coloured stained glass window, the sun shining through and casting a rainbow of patterns on the floor around him.

Draco absently picked at a hangnail, seeing as Harry appeared to be content to just sit in silence.

The air in the church was muggy and warm. Little dust motes floated through the shafts of sunlight streaming in from the cracked glass windows. It was completely silent inside, as if someone had thrown a blanket over the rest of the world to muffle the sound. No trace of a bird's song or even the wind in the trees could be heard within.

It was the very definition of peace and quiet.

"Draco?"

The blond looked up as Harry's voice broke through the stillness.

"Are there any headache potions back at the house?"

"A few." He furrowed his brow, trying to remember just how many they had left. "Are you having one of your headaches right now?"

Harry stared blankly for a minute before realization dawned. "No, it's not one of those. I think it's from all the crying and stuff."

"Have you stopped getting those headaches?"

"Yeah, ever since that day in the Great Hall. Julian told me that it takes a very powerful emotion or event to bring out an Intimus Magis' magic, so every time I thought of Sirius and got a headache it was because that magic was close to pushing its way out. Sirius' death was traumatic and affected me a lot, but it was not strong enough to evoke the magic like the situation with Ethan. Understand?"

"I think so." Draco thought it over. "So now that you have control of that magic, it can't try to activate on its own."

"Right, once I'm aware of it, and learn to control it, it can't hurt me. Although it can leak out accidentally at times, which is quite dangerous to others but not myself."

Draco smiled. "You must be relieved – no more migraines."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I used to think it was Voldemort trying to get into my head."

"Do you think Dumbledore knew the real reason?"

"Perhaps," Harry pondered thoughtfully. "I wouldn't put it past him to withhold information for his own gain. God knows he's done it before."

"Ah, yes, the prophecy." Draco remembered.

"Yep."

"He is a crafty old coot."

Harry snorted and nodded in agreement.

Draco slid down onto the bench and put his feet up on the back of the pew in front of him, his hands crossed behind his head as he lounged back into a comfortable position.

Harry looked up. "I think my arse has gone numb from sitting on this stone floor."

Draco smirked and patted the bench next to him.

Harry smiled and walked down the aisle. He threw his cloak down as a cushion and sat next to Draco, taking up the same laid-back position.

The two stared up at the gabled roof above them, cobwebs hanging in ethereal arcs from the wooden beams.

"How are _you_ doing, Draco?" Harry asked without turning his head.

Draco shrugged. "I'm okay, I'll be glad when this stupid war is over with and I can try to have a normal life for once."

"Me, too." Harry stared steadily at the ceiling. "So…no boyfriends then?"

Draco snorted. "I haven't really had time. You've only been back for one week and I don't go out that often, except patrolling and Death Eater meetings, hardly ideal places to meet that special someone."

"You could've met someone while I was away," Harry reasoned.

Draco finally turned to look at him. "And cheat on you?"

"Oh, you wanted to wait until after you talked to me. I see. Well, that was nice of you."

"You mean after _you_ talked to _me_."

Harry stared at him. "What?"

"What are you talking about?" Draco frowned.

"What are _you _talking about?"

They both stared in confusion.

"Draco."

Draco and Harry turned around and saw Snape standing tall in the doorway.

"I see Mr Potter's lack of consideration for other people's feelings is beginning to rub off on you."

"Huh?" Draco replied, his mind still on the previously bewildering conversation.

Snape's lip curled with disdain. "And his lack of vocabulary skills as well, I see. The two of you may not care, but there is a house full of people wondering why the birthday boy is two hours late."

"Oh, shit!" Draco exclaimed, standing abruptly.

"Ah, and your vocabulary increases with yet another worldly Potter phrase," Snape commented wryly.

"We were supposed to be back by now," Draco explained to Harry. "We'd better go."

Harry stood up and grabbed his cloak from off of the bench.

They followed a few steps behind Snape as he led them down the dirt road towards the house.

"I can't believe you're friends with that git," Harry mumbled darkly, glaring at Snape's back.

Draco stiffened. "That man has helped me more than any other person in my life."

"Maybe he's nice to you, but he's a right bastard to me."

"Maybe you never gave him the chance."

"Do you remember our first potions class back in first year? He picked on me for no reason. I didn't even know him!"

"He was just testing you and demonstrating to the rest of the class what he expects from his students. He probably picked you because he already knew your name."

"Or because he holds a grudge against my father," Harry said, bitterly.

"Can you blame him?"

"But I had nothing to do with it! My father might've acted like…well, _you_ – but that doesn't give him the right to make my life a living hell!"

"You just have to see his good side. He may not be harbouring an inner Hufflepuff but he does have another part to him besides that snarky exterior. At the last D.E meeting…" Draco stopped and shook his head.

"What?" Harry prompted, curiously.

Draco stopped in the middle of the road and turned to face Harry. "Voldemort tested our loyalty by making us torture a Muggle girl who was probably all of six years old."

"Oh my god…" Harry whispered.

"And he asked me to finish her off with Avada Kedavra – only I couldn't do it. She was barely conscious and I'd already used Cruciatus on her twice and I couldn't do anymore. I felt sick and Severus knew it. So he did it for me. And don't even _think_ that he wanted to because I know he fucking well didn't!"

Harry lowered his eyes apologetically. "I don't know what to say…"

Draco sighed and started walking again. Snape was already at the house ahead of them. "Just don't run him down in front of me, okay? You don't have the right."

Harry walked beside him, trying to reconcile the Snape he knew to the picture Draco painted of the man. "I won't insult him anymore if it bothers you."

"Thank you," Draco said, curtly.

Harry grabbed his sleeve. "I didn't realize how much he meant to you. I take back what I said about him, okay? Don't be angry."

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He finally looked up with a reluctant smile. "I guess I have to do what you say since it's your birthday."

Harry smiled in relief and let go. "Thanks. And just so you know, I'll be there for you if you ever need someone to complain to about him."

Draco rolled his eyes and pushed Harry up the walk towards the house. Harry laughed as Draco steered him up to Snape from behind.

"Are you staying for my party Professor Snape?" Harry asked sweetly.

Draco poked him sharply in the ribs.

"Ow!" Harry protested with a grin.

"No, I am sorry to say that I will not be staying," Snape replied, acidly. "I came to inform you that there will be no patrolling tonight-"

"Yes!" Harry whooped joyfully.

"- and two of you need to leave at eight to meet Laszlo."

They both groaned.

Snape felt as if he were still dealing with a couple of first years. He gave a departing nod and walked around them to head back to the church and on to Hogwarts.

Draco and Harry laughed and pushed open the front door.

"Harry!" Ron shouted happily. "You're back!"

Hermione, Cody, Ginny, and Ernie all crowded behind Ron to greet Harry.

"Hey, guys!" Harry replied with a smile.

"Now we can eat!" Ron chirped, turning back around to head into the kitchen.

Everyone laughed at the red-head as he practically ran from the hallway.

"Come on, Harry." Hermione smiled, taking his cloak from him. "We're all sleeping in the living room tonight, it's kind of an old fashioned slumber party."

"Except with alcohol." Ernie winked.

"Alcohol?" Harry repeated faintly.

"Yeah, Cody got it for us."

Cody shrugged, his blue eyes twinkling as he put an arm around Ginny and entered the living room.

"Wow." Harry looked around the room in awe.

All the old dusty furniture had been pushed back, making room for a circle of plush sleeping bags and tons of pillows. There was a huge flat-screened plasma TV in front of the fireplace and surround sound speakers set up around the room. Under the TV was a DVD player and a stack of brightly wrapped presents.

They all watched Harry expectantly.

"Holy shit…" he breathed, feeling completely overwhelmed.

"The TV, speakers, and DVD player are from Draco," Hermione explained. "And the wrapped gifts are from the rest of us."

"Draco!" Harry chastised. "That must have cost a fortune!"

Draco shrugged. "My father sends Severus an obscene amount of money for looking after me and we didn't know what to do with it – you solved our problem."

Harry smiled in disbelief. "Well, I'll have to thank your father next time I see him."

"Thank Hermione, she's the one who went and picked out all this stuff and bought it from those Muggle shops in London."

"Open your presents!" Ron said upon entering the room, levitating a floating buffet of food and drinks behind him.

Everyone held their breath until the food had landed safely on the empty patch of floor by the sleeping bags.

"Yeah, go on, Harry," Ginny urged in anticipation.

"Okay." Harry nodded, feeling euphoric with excitement and happiness.

They all settled themselves on the floor and Ginny placed the gifts by Harry. Draco disappeared and returned immediately with Harry Junior in his arms.

"Oh, can I hold your bunny, Draco?" Ginny pleaded.

"Sure." Draco handed him over and sat down next to Harry as he tore into his first present.

Harry's green eyes widened. "Buffy: Season One!" he practically squealed in delight. "Thanks, Ginny."

"Your welcome." She smiled and put Harry Junior down to hop around in the discarded wrapping paper.

Harry opened the next one. "Buffy: Seasons two _and_ three? Thanks, Cody."

"Happy birthday, Sparky."

Harry continued on through each present until he finally had the entire Buffy collection lined up in front of him. Seasons one through six.

"Wow…" Harry gazed at the DVD box sets reverently, his jaw sore from smiling.

Ron picked up season five and opened it curiously, his other hand filled with a greasy stack of crisps. "Hey, that blond bird is hot."

Harry glanced over. "That's Buffy."

Everyone immediately picked up a different case and flipped through it. Only Hermione and Harry had actually seen, or even heard of, the show before.

"Who is this chick?" Cody asked.

Harry smiled. "That's Willow."

"You really go for the red-heads, eh?" Ernie smirked.

"Willow's a lesbian," Harry mentioned nonchalantly.

"What?!" Cody sat up. "I think we'd better watch this."

Ginny punched him in the shoulder.

"I second that motion," Ernie spoke up eagerly.

Ron nodded. "Me, too."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Ginny grabbed the box from Cody. "Hey, Harry, which one is the bloke that you fancy?"

"Um…he's not in that season. Let me see…" Harry looked around and took season five from Ron who was still drooling over Sarah Michelle Gellar.

"Hey!" he protested.

"This is him." Harry opened it up and pointed.

Ginny raised her eyebrows then glanced up at Draco. She ducked her head trying not to laugh.

Ron looked over her shoulder. "He looks like Malfoy."

Draco choked and grabbed the box out of her hands. "No he doesn't! His hair is obviously dyed, look at how dark his eyebrows are! And he has that scar there. Also his cheekbones are…are…"

"Better?" Ginny supplied.

Draco glared.

"Plus, the hairstyles way off, mate," Cody added.

"Not if you'd seen Draco back in school." Ernie chuckled.

"Your hair is much better now," Hermione said, taking pity on her partner. "Now it looks more like…erm….Brad Pitt, in that movie Meet Joe Black."

Harry nodded in agreement while everyone else just shrugged blankly.

"Can we watch one now?" Ginny asked, impatiently.

"Which one?" Harry asked, looking at them all.

"Better start at the beginning," Hermione suggested.

The group settled down, grabbing snacks and bottles of beer as Harry popped in the first DVD.

By the time they got to episode five, they were all feeling distinctly tipsy. Except for Harry, who wasn't drinking anything but water.

"I thought you said that that chick was a lesbian?" Cody complained loudly.

"Not until season four," Harry explained, finding it endlessly amusing how his friends acted under the influence.

"Let's watch season four!" Ron proclaimed exuberantly, spilling part of his drink.

"Yeah, then we get to see Draco's alter-ego." Hermione giggled.

Harry chuckled at Hermione's slightly flushed cheeks and alcohol-glazed eyes.

Draco threw a carrot stick at her.

"Ew!" She shrieked. "That had dip on it!"

Ernie stopped the DVD player and slid in season four, episode nine.

"Well, at least he's English," Draco slurred, watching James Marsters on the screen.

Harry and Hermione shared a knowing grin.

"I like Giles!" Ernie suddenly blurted out.

Ron snorted with laughter. "You would! He's all smart and boring – he's you in about twenty years."

"Yeah, well, you're Xander!" Ernie shot back. "All klutzy and useless."

Ron gaped, deeply offended. "Harry, am I Xander?"

"Sorry, mate, but you do have certain Xander-esque qualities."

"And Hermione is Willow, without the red hair," Ernie said, looking as though he was having trouble focusing.

Harry tried not to laugh.

"_I_ should be Willow," said Ginny.

"The lesbian?" Cody asked, brows raised.

"Oh, yeah…scratch that."

"You can be Dawn," Harry suggested.

"Who's that?"

"Buffy's sister."

"She has a sister?"

"I know!" Ron suddenly shouted, sitting up and spilling more of his beer in his enthusiasm for his brilliant idea. "We should all pick a character that we're the most like."

"I think Harry should pick for us – he knows them best," Cody said.

"Okay." Harry smiled and stood up. He looked around at them all thoughtfully, one finger tapping his chin. "Well…Ron is Xander. Ginny can be Dawn. Ernie is Giles….or maybe Riley, he's closer to your age. Um, Hermione is Willow or Tara, except for the lesbian bit. Cody is…Angel, I guess. And Draco is Spike." Harry blushed and sat down as Ginny whistled and Hermione giggled.

"What about you?" Draco asked, unsteadily. "Who are you?"

"I don't know…there's nobody left."

"I think he's Buffy," Hermione said, shrewdly.

"What?" Harry exclaimed.

"You are definitely a male version of Buffy; the 'chosen one,' ass-kicker of evil, and…short."

"I am not!" Harry retorted indignantly.

"Plus, he's in love with Spike," Ron added, cheerfully.

Harry blushed again and was careful not to look in Draco's direction.

Ernie frowned in confusion. "But Buffy's in love with Angel."

Cody chuckled. "We're changing the story – Angel gets together with Dawn."

"That is so wrong," Harry said, wrinkling his nose at the thought.

"So who does Buffy end up with?" Ernie asked.

"That's the question isn't it?" Draco mused quietly after a pause.

Harry turned and met Draco's gaze, not sure what they were talking about anymore.

"How did you two get together?" Hermione asked Ginny and Cody, trying to change the subject.

"Feel free to not go into great detail," Ron said with a disgusted look on his face.

Harry blinked and the moment was gone. Draco looked away and took another beer from the table.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Cody asked me out the first day I was here after Harry's return."

"I guess Australian men move fast." Ernie laughed.

"I can't resist red-heads." Cody shrugged, laying his cheek against Ginny's shiny hair.

Draco glanced back to Harry and saw him smiling almost wistfully at the couple. He wondered if the brunette really did have feelings for Cody.

"Let's watch the musical episode now," Hermione said excitedly, taking out season six.

"Yeah." Ginny sat up with interest. "I wanna hear Draco sing."

Ernie sniggered. "Okay, here's the rule – whatever the characters Harry assigned to us do in this episode, we have to do in real life."

Everyone fell over laughing, except for Harry, who wasn't pissed out of his mind and knew how the episode ended – with a big passionate kiss between Buffy and Spike.

"And you have to take a shot every time Spike says 'bloody hell'." Hermione giggled.

"We're out of tequila." Ernie turned the empty bottle upside down.

"Oh, poo." Hermione pouted.

"Shh...it's starting," Ginny shushed them impatiently, turning up the volume on the TV.

Harry was desperately trying to think of a way to stop their little game when his eyes landed on the clock. "Shit!" he swore under his breath.

"What is it?" Draco whispered from beside him, blearily trying to focus properly.

"It's two minutes past eight."

"And?"

"Laszlo."

"Fuck." Draco quickly tried to stand – and failed miserably.

Harry chuckled. "I'll go, you're in no state to do any work tonight."

"But you can't go alone," Draco protested weakly, his head spinning.

"It's okay, it's still light out. I'll be fine."

"Okay, Harry." Draco suddenly smiled goofily and touched his finger to Harry's nose. "Be careful."

Harry shook his head and quietly snuck out of the room.

They were all so engrossed in the show that nobody noticed Harry slipping out the front door a minute later.

_'Where do we go from here?'_

Ginny and Hermione clapped wildly as the final credits rolled.

"That was awesome!" Ginny enthused. "Let's watch it again!"

"No!" The boys groaned in unison.

"I say we watch a lesbian one," Ron said drowsily, eyes drooping.

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Ernie said, holding his stomach and glancing at all the empty beer bottles.

"I think we're all going to be sick come morning," Cody grimaced.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked suddenly.

They all looked around in bewilderment.

Draco woke from dozing against the pillows. "Huh?"

"Where's Harry?" she repeated.

Draco closed his eyes again. "He went to see Laszlo."

"Alone? When?"

"When you started the singing show."

"The first time?"

Draco dragged his eyes open. "What?"

"Draco, we watched it three times."

"What?" He sat up, feeling dizzy, and tried to focus on the clock. "It's ten thirty?"

Hermione turned off the TV and tried to think clearly. "What time was the meeting?"

"Eight."

That sobered everyone up pretty fast.

"He's been gone for two and a half hours?" Ron exclaimed in shock.

They all stumbled to their feet in a rush.

"I'll go make some coffee," Ginny said and left for the kitchen.

"I'm going to the meeting place," Draco said, resolutely.

"No." Hermione shook her head. "It could be a trap."

"What should we do?" Ernie asked, fear lacing his words.

"I'm sure he's fine," Cody reasoned.

"And if he's not?" Draco asked, harshly.

"Then we'll contact Snape and Dumbledore," Hermione replied calmly. "Harry might have simply got lost on his way there or back, he's never gone alone and he's still new to the place."

The atmosphere in the house was tense and uneasy as they waited…and waited…

At one thirty, five and a half hours after Harry's disappearance, Draco wrote a letter to Professor Dumbledore with shaking fingers.

A fear like he'd never known gripped his heart as he watched the owl bearing the message fly away into the night. He stood in the open doorway, searching the moonlit road for any sign of Harry.

It was cold and empty.

Draco closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the doorframe. "Please be alright, Harry," he whispered desperately. "Please…"


	8. The Reason

**Disclaimer:** All chapter titles and any song lyrics used in this fic are the sole property of Hoobastank.  
**_  
A/N –_** Sorry for the wait guys, but here it is - the last chapter. There is a graphic content warning for this chapter.

_Merci à tous mes critiques!_

_

* * *

I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you _

I've found a reason to show  
A side of me you didn't know  
A reason for all that I do  
And the reason is you

I've found a reason for meTo change who I used to beA reason to start over newAnd the reason is you

* * *

Draco stood by helplessly as Cody and Dumbledore walked out the front door of Moony House and closed it firmly behind them. He wrenched his arm from Snape's tight grasp and glared at his ex-professor with barely contained rage. 

"I can't believe you would let Dumbledore do this to me!" he accused furiously, his grey eyes dark with emotion.

Snape calmly re-activated the security wards and slipped his wand back into the folds of his black robe before replying. "I happen to agree with him."

"Why the fuck would you agree with that old fool?" Draco demanded, nostrils flaring with anger.

"Because he has a point, Draco." Snape's voice had a definite edge to it. "It would be foolish for either of us to be seen in that area right now, it could be a trap."

"Yes, with Harry as bait!" Draco cried.

"More the reason for you not to suddenly show up out of the blue. The Dark Lord is clearly trying to flush out any traitors and would kill you on the spot."

"But-"

"This way," Snape cut in sternly. "The other Order members can go and search for him while we wait here." He paused, watching as Draco clenched and unclenched his fists in agitation. "Knowing Potter, he'll probably come waltzing in in about an hour with some ludicrous excuse of deciding to take a stroll around the woods at night."

"For six hours?" Draco spat, not to be placated.

Snape gazed at the young man, his dark eyes softening slightly as he watched the helplessness and utter frustration with which Draco spoke. "Draco..."

"What?" he snapped.

"Do you-" here Snape paused to clear his throat "-still have feelings for Mr Potter?"

Draco sighed, his whole body seeming to deflate with reticence. "More than ever."

Snape pursed his lips in contemplation.

Draco glanced up and a tiny crease appeared between his eyes as he caught sight of Severus' expression. "What is it?"

Snape turned away and busied himself with pulling the drapes tighter across the window.

Draco stepped in front of him, his grey eyes searching Severus' face intently. "Do you know something?"

Snape returned his gaze back to Draco, the indecisiveness gone from his coal-black eyes. "I think you should wait up in you room. Get some sleep if you can."

Draco stared. "You actually think that I could _sleep_ right now?"

"Try." Snape turned on his heel and walked off down the hall towards the kitchen.

Draco gaped for a second then spun around and grabbed for the brass knob on the door. "James Marsters," he whispered.

The door refused to open.

He jiggled the knob some more and pulled with all his might. It still wouldn't budge.

"Fuck." Draco kicked the door, his temper getting the better of him as he realized that Severus had obviously changed the password to keep him from getting out.

He stormed over to the bottom of the staircase and paused with one foot on the step. "Is this what you're going to do when the final battle starts, lock me up to keep me safe and in effect render me completely useless?" he yelled towards the kitchen.

There was no reply and Draco stomped up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door so hard that it rattled on its hinges. He didn't care if he was acting like a child - they were treating him like one.

He paced across the wooden floorboards feeling as if he were about to explode with pent-up emotion; anger, frustration, betrayal - but beneath it all he was going out of his mind with worry.

He sat on the edge of his bed and looked over at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace. Two o'clock in the morning. Six hours since Harry left to meet Laszlo.

Draco lay back across his bed, his hands covering his eyes.

_Why did I let him go? What the fuck was I thinking? Oh gods...please come back, Harry. If anything happens to you..._

Hot tears slipped through Draco's fingers and ran down the sides of his face, disappearing into the white-blond strands of his hair.

A loud bang from downstairs had the Slytherin sitting bolt upright, eyes wide open. He could hear voices talking animatedly down below but could not discern who it was.

His head snapped around to the door as someone thundered up the stairs. Draco had his wand out and pointed at the door in the blink of an eye.

His bedroom door crashed open.

Draco's wand slipped from his fingers, falling to the floor in slow motion as time suddenly seemed to slow down.

Harry stood in the doorway – his torn and dirty clothes absolutely soaked in blood.

Draco could only stare in shock, his face draining of all colour as the coppery smell of blood invaded his nostrils. His stomach churned.

Harry was panting breathlessly, his green eyes wide with fear and his face covered with a fine sheen of sweat.

Draco blinked and time caught up with him once more. He ran forward and grabbed Harry by the shoulders, flinching as the clammy dampness of blood touched his skin.

"Harry, are you okay?" he demanded. "Are you hurt?"

Harry let out a sob and collapsed in Draco's arms. Draco grabbed him and slowly lowered them until they were both on their knees on the floor. Harry continued to sob into Draco's shoulder, hands clenched tightly around fistfuls of Draco's jumper as he clung to him for dear life.

Draco wrapped his arms around the trembling boy and laid his cheek against Harry's damp hair. "Tell me what happened," he whispered brokenly, on the verge of tears himself as Harry fell apart in his embrace.

"He's dead..."

A spike of fear shot through Draco's heart. "Who's dead?"

"Laszlo." Harry sobbed again and his trembling hands tightened in the fabric of Draco's shirt. "It could've been you...it could've..."

Draco held him close and ran a soothing hand back and forth over Harry's back to calm him. "Shh...it's alright, Harry."

Harry sniffled and shook his head. "No...no it's not. All I could think about was that it could've been you laying there in that...that pool of blood. _Your_ body ripped open..." Harry sobbed and clenched his eyes shut against the memory.

"Shh...Harry, don't."

But Harry wasn't listening, already lost in the vision of that lifeless body lying in the alley. "He knew. Voldemort knew he was a spy. He...he tortured him and then killed him. Oh god...it could've been you." Harry's body shook as he choked on the words and fresh tears squeezed from beneath his lashes.

Draco could feel tears prickling at his own eyes. "It's okay, Harry. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Draco could feel him shivering through the heavy cloak clinging wetly to Harry's body. He pulled back and raised Harry's chin until he was forced to look into Draco's eyes.

"Let's get you out of this damp thing." Draco smiled gently and placed his hands on either side of Harry's face, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from his skin.

Harry hiccoughed and blinked to try to clear his watery vision. He stared into Draco's eyes, losing himself in the comforting familiarity of their grey depths. He slowly raised a hand and slid his fingertips across Draco's cheek until it was softly cupped in his palm.

Draco sighed and closed his eyes, leaning into Harry's touch.

As if in a trance, Harry leaned forward and kissed him.

Draco started with a gasp of surprise.

Harry instantly withdrew his hand and lowered his eyes. "Sorry..."

"Harry-" Draco reached out a hand to him.

Harry scrambled to his feet. "I'm sorry," he repeated, backing away. "I didn't mean...I know you don't want..."

Draco leapt up and slammed the door shut as Harry tried to make a hasty escape. "What the hell are you muttering about?"

Harry faced the door as he answered. "I didn't mean to kiss you. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

Draco took him by the shoulders and turned him around. "Don't be sorry, Harry." He paused, hardly daring to hope. "Did you..._want_ to kiss me?"

Harry looked up, his emerald eyes burning with unapologetic honesty. "Yes."

Draco forced himself to hold in the cry of joy that was threatening to burst forth. "Then don't be sorry. I wanted you to kiss me, too."

"Really?" Harry looked up.

Draco nodded with a smile.

Harry smiled tentatively in return, then a shadow passed over his face and he frowned, shaking his head. He roughly pushed Draco away from himself. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Draco stumbled backwards in bewilderment. "Doing what?"

"Playing with my feelings like this."

"Playing with..." Draco trailed off in disbelief. "_You're_ the one who broke up with me and then flaunted a pretend boyfriend in my face, for Merlin knows why, and then you disappear for six hours and return covered in blood and kiss me! And you accuse _me _of playing games? Actually, now that I think about it, you _should_ be apologizing!" Draco continued to rant furiously, unable to stop now that he'd started. Unable to hold in all the anger that had been steadily building ever since Harry had first slapped him with the fact that he didn't want a relationship again. "I know you never promised that we'd get back together again but you've been downright cruel, Harry. You wouldn't even fucking talk to me - you still won't!"

Harry stared. "I never broke up with you."

Those six words were all it took to instantly quell Draco's anger. "What?"

"I never broke up with you."

"But...you did."

"No, you broke up with me."

Draco frowned, trying to get his head around what Harry was saying. "What? When?"

"When you didn't answer my letter."

"What letter? You never sent any letter."

"But..." Harry blinked and swayed on his feet.

Draco dashed forward and grabbed him under the arms. He helped him over to the bed and gently sat the shaking brunette down. Draco sat close beside him, holding tightly to Harry's hands.

Harry stared unseeing at the floor. "I sent you a letter...three months after I arrived in Ireland."

Draco's heart beat rapidly. "What did it say?" he asked, his mouth dry.

Harry looked up sorrowfully. "It said...it said that I missed you and that I'd made a mistake leaving you the way I had. It also said that I loved you and if you still felt the same way then to write me back." He finished barely above a whisper.

"But..." Draco replied shakily. "I never received any letter. Dumbledore said that I wasn't allowed to write to you for security reasons."

"But Dumbledore was the one I gave my letter to. He promised to deliver it to you."

And suddenly it all clicked into place.

"He lied."

"What?" Harry frowned.

Draco looked at him intently. "He lied to you – to us – Harry. Did Dumbledore tell you that he gave me the letter?"

"Yes, he said that you read it and declined sending a reply and that you would talk to me about it when I got back."

"Is that why you avoided me at first?"

Harry nodded.

"And Cody?" Draco continued, voice rising in excitement.

"I wanted to pretend that I'd gotten over you so that you wouldn't talk to me and explain why you didn't want to be with me again. I guess I was a little upset at the time, too." Harry paused, eyes widening in realization. "That's why Dumbledore brought Cody in to join me halfway through my training, to distract me from any thoughts of you!"

Draco's eyes flared angrily.

Harry bit his lip and looked away. "If I hadn't pretended that Cody was my boyfriend we would've discovered this right away..."

Draco gave his hand a squeeze. "Don't blame yourself, Harry," he said, fiercely. "This is all Dumbledore's fault, he never wanted us together."

"I just can't believe we didn't realize it sooner..."

"I know," Draco murmured regretfully. "Don't think about it, Harry. The important thing is we know now."

Harry looked up at him through smudged and dirty glasses. "So...you never wanted to break up with me?" he asked quietly.

Draco smiled. "Well, technically we weren't really still together - but no, I never wanted to break up with you."

Harry smiled in relief. "What do we do now?"

Draco stood and pulled Harry to his feet. "First things first, we get you out of these wet clothes."

Harry bit his lip and blushed, trying not to laugh.

Draco chuckled. "I didn't mean it like that," he said, his tone teasing but his eyes earnest.

"I know." Harry smiled reassuringly.

Draco shook his head with an amused grin. "You have a dirty mind Harry Potter." He unclasped Harry's heavy cloak and Harry pulled his arms from the sleeves. Draco grimaced at the blood-soaked fabric as he walked over to the fireplace and threw it in.

Harry shivered at the sudden exposure and wrapped his arms around himself.

Draco turned. "Do you want me to light a fire?"

Harry nodded.

"Shit." Draco fumbled around in his pockets for his wand. "I dropped my wand somewhere..."

Harry flicked his hand and his discarded cloak burst into flame.

Draco jumped back in surprise and glared at him.

Harry shrugged with a smug smile and walked over to sit on the rug beside Draco.

They both stared at the hypnotic dance of flickering flames.

"Are you going to tell me what happened tonight?" Draco asked.

Harry sighed and pulled his knees into his chest, his body shivering though it had nothing to do with the temperature.

Draco shuffled over and put an arm around him. "Never mind."

Harry stared fixedly into the fire. "No...it's okay." He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I arrived in the alley about eight minutes late and Voldemort was already there with a group of Dementors and couple of Death Eaters - and Laszlo. As soon as I appeared, Voldemort smiled at Laszlo and said something about how he now knew that Laszlo was the traitor and that he was going to be punished."

"What did you do?"

"I could feel the Dementors beginning to affect me and I knew I'd never be able to fight them all off on my own, so I tried to dodge around them to get to Laszlo. One of them grabbed me and I used my magic to propel him back, only, he took me with him and we fell into some garbage bins. I got up first and stunned him, then the other Death Eater shoved me to the ground and sat on my back, pinning my arms behind me. I looked over and saw that Laszlo was writhing on the ground in the midst of a Cruciatus attack from Voldemort and the Dementors were converging on me again...I honestly thought that I was going to die right then and there."

Draco hugged Harry tightly and the Gryffindor laid his head on Draco's shoulder as he continued his story.

"I still had the portkey in my pocket but I didn't want to leave Laszlo."

"Bloody hero," Draco muttered under his breath.

"I pretty much knew it was hopeless, but I just couldn't leave him there to be slaughtered. Laszlo even shouted at me to get out..."

"What made you change your mind?"

Harry absently traced the cable-knit pattern of Draco's sleeve as he stared at his cloak slowly burning away in the stone hearth. "You did, or rather, your father did."

"My father?" Draco questioned with a frown.

"Yeah." Harry nodded. "Guess who was kneeling on my back?"

"My father." Draco's eyes narrowed darkly.

"I didn't know it was him until he told me to stop moving and cut my cheek with that huge ring he always wears."

Draco stiffened, his blood boiling in outrage. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry sniffed and Draco saw that he was crying again.

"It's not _your_ fault," Harry said immediately, covering Draco's hand with his own.

Draco swallowed and tried to speak past the sudden tightness in his throat. "So how did you escape?"

"When I realized it was your father I began to think of how it could've been you Voldemort had caught and was torturing. Then I thanked Merlin that you _hadn't_ gone with me tonight." Harry paused to take a steadying breath and wipe his cheek. "Then I began to worry that maybe you might come looking for me. I panicked. I glanced back to Laszlo and saw that Voldemort was going at him with some kind of curse that attacked him with invisible knives or something. There was blood everywhere..."

"Novacula transigo." Draco knew that curse well. It was one of Voldemort's favourites because the victim remains conscious throughout the whole ordeal.

Harry felt sick to his stomach at the gruesome memory.

"So then you used the portkey?" Draco asked, quickly trying to change to subject.

"No, I disapparated."

"But you can't disapparate in and out of that alley, it's protected."

"I think Voldemort disabled it when he forced his way in with Laszlo."

Draco turned his hand palm up and entwined his fingers with Harry's. "Why did it take you so long to return home?"

"I didn't want to apparate right here or even close by in case they could trace me, so I apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and waited there for a few hours."

"Didn't people stare at the blood all over you?"

"I wasn't covered in blood then," Harry answered, quietly. "I went back to the alley, just in case I could still help him or at least bring his body back for a proper burial."

"Oh, Harry." Draco sighed.

"But it was too late. Voldemort and the rest of them had left and Laszlo...his body was unrecognizable. I couldn't even bring him back with me...it was just...pieces..." Harry broke off, closing his eyes.

"Shh...don't talk about it, Harry."

Harry sniffed and snuggled closer to Draco's solid and reassuring presence. "I used an invisibility spell and walked back through London and disapparated to the old church. Dumbledore and Cody were there preparing to leave and I told them everything. They told me that you had all split up to search for me and I thought that you might've gone to the alley, so I just ran away from them before they could finish explaining and came here. Snape told me that you were up in your room and...here I am."

Draco smiled incredulously. "Here you are," he repeated softly, shaking his head. "You're amazing, Harry Potter. You really do deserve the title of the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Not by choice, believe me," Harry said, resentfully. He sighed and lifted his head to look up at Draco. "We have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

"What's there to talk about?" Draco pushed a few strands of raven hair off of Harry's forehead.

"I dunno..."

Draco smiled blithely. "Look, do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Well that settles it," said Draco decisively. "We love each other and that's all there is to it."

"But-"

"No, no buts. There is no past, okay? We're only going to look ahead. We're meeting each other for the first time right now."

Harry smiled and sat up. "My name is Harry Potter, and you are?"

"_The_ Harry Potter?" Draco squealed in mock excitement.

"Stop it!" Harry laughed, giving him a push.

Draco grinned. "Draco Malfoy." He gave a little bow. "Pleased to meet you, Harry."

"So this is our first date?"

"Sure."

"Hmm...too bad." Harry sighed in disappointment.

"What?"

Harry looked up with a twinkle in his eye. "I don't usually sleep with people on the first date."

Draco raised a brow in surprise, too stunned to reply.

Harry took advantage of his partner's momentary silence and moved closer to sling his arms around Draco's neck. "Maybe I could make an exception," he whispered seductively against Draco's lips. "Just this once..."

Draco moaned quietly and crushed his lips to Harry's, his arms snaking around to pull Harry tight up against him.

Harry moaned into his mouth and closed his eyes, his hands stroking and caressing everywhere he could reach.

A tear escaped from beneath Draco's lashes as Harry's taste and touch invaded his senses. The familiarity of it all came rushing back to him as they kneeled on the floor together.

He broke away from Harry's mouth and lovingly kissed his way across Harry's cheek and jaw-line, whispering his name over and over again with each tender press of his lips.

Harry tilted his head back, breathing heavily as he buried his hands in Draco's silky soft hair and made appreciative noises of pleasure deep within his throat.

Draco kissed Harry's parted lips once more before finally pulling away.

Harry opened his emerald eyes, bright with arousal.

Draco swallowed and gently removed Harry's glasses, almost gasping at the obvious want shining back at him. "Are you sure about this, Harry?" He needed to know.

Harry nodded, his bottom lip trembling slightly.

"Because we don't have to," Draco said with concern. "If you're not ready..."

Harry shook his head determinedly. He stood and reached down for Draco.

Draco stood two inches taller than Harry and gazed down into his pleading face, Harry's expression begging for understanding.

"I need to do this," Harry said with conviction. "I _want_ to."

Draco stroked his cheek tenderly. "Okay, Harry, but we'll take it slow, alright? We can stop at any time."

Harry smiled gratefully and turned his head to kiss the palm of Draco's hand.

Draco trailed his hand down Harry's neck and chest until he reached the bottom of his t-shirt. Harry lifted his arms in silent permission and Draco pulled the shirt up and off. He gazed at Harry's naked chest, the light from the fire flickering over his pale skin and lending a warm golden hue to his pale torso.

Draco ran his hands over the firm planes of Harry's chest, reacquainting himself with the other boy's body. Harry sighed and reached for the hem of Draco's jumper.

Soon they were both bare-chested in the firelight. Draco pulled Harry to him, the heat from Draco's naked skin warming Harry's chilled body as they kissed; softer and slower this time. Deliberately taking the time to fully enjoy the moment, the sensual slide of tongues and lips, the caress of heated skin beneath their hands.

Harry took the next step and started to unbuckle Draco's jeans as the Slytherin began to nibble at his earlobe. He pushed the jeans down off of Draco's hips and let them fall to the floor. Draco gracefully stepped out of them and stood clad only in his black briefs.

Harry ran his eyes over Draco's body; slim and beautiful – and all for him.

Draco rested his fingertips on the top button of Harry's trousers and glanced up at him questioningly.

Harry nodded.

Draco quickly divested him of the torn and stained things and tossed them to the floor.

Harry shivered under Draco's hungry gaze.

Draco took him by the hand and led him over to the bed. "Lie down," he whispered with a kiss to Harry's forehead. "I'll just go lock the door."

Harry smiled nervously and scooted back on the large four poster bed. He lay down with his head on the pillow, his body stretched out over the dark green bedspread.

Draco spied his wand on the floor and picked it up. He used a powerful locking spell and a silencing charm on the door for good measure before tossing his wand onto a nearby desk. He turned and smiled at Harry who was watching his every move.

Harry sat up quickly as Draco approached the bed.

"Everything alright?" Draco asked, perching on the edge of the mattress.

Harry nodded but Draco could see him shaking and his emerald eyes were wary.

Draco sighed. "C'mere." He opened his arms and Harry crawled over and sat sideways across Draco's lap as the blond encircled him with his arms.

Harry relaxed and laid his head on Draco's bare shoulder.

"Don't force yourself, Harry," Draco murmured into his hair. "There's no rush."

"But I want to," Harry said, stubbornly.

"I can wait."

"Well I can't."

Draco chuckled. "Alright, what would make it easier on you?"

Harry pulled back and Draco was relieved to see that he wasn't crying again. Harry looked into his grey eyes, thinking it over.

"I would feel better if you didn't...if you weren't standing over me, or laying on top of me." Harry flushed, feeling ashamed.

Draco lifted his chin and placed a gentle kiss to Harry's lips. "No problem."

Harry smiled in relief.

Draco touched his forehead to Harry's. "I'd do anything for you."

Harry closed his eyes with a barely audible sigh. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Draco whispered against his lips before kissing him.

Harry lifted his right leg up and around so that both his legs were wrapped tightly around Draco's waist.

Draco moaned and slid his hands down to Harry's lower back and pulled their groins up against each other. Harry moaned wantonly and thrust up against him. Draco gasped and gently pulled on Harry's lower lip with his teeth as Harry continued his slow thrusting. Draco then moved his lips down to suck on the pulse point of Harry's pale throat.

"Oh god," Harry groaned, his eyes shut tight in ecstasy.

Draco stilled Harry's hips with his hands and looked up, breathing heavily. "You'd better stop or it'll all be over before we've even begun."

Harry opened his eyes and smirked. "Already?"

"Well, it _has_ been awhile," Draco said self-deprecatingly as he gave Harry's bottom a pinch.

Harry yelped in surprise and unexpectedly jumped forward against Draco's clothed erection.

Draco groaned involuntarily then glared reproachfully at Harry.

Harry giggled and purposely gave a little wiggle.

"That's it," Draco growled. He moved backwards suddenly, pitching Harry down on top of him.

Harry shrieked and the two of them laughed.

Harry settled himself more comfortably over Draco's body, his weight resting on his arms on either side of Draco's shoulders. Draco lifted his knees, his feet planted on the mattress, allowing Harry's body to settle between his legs.

Harry smiled down at him and leaned in for another kiss, his right hand sliding under Draco's head, fingers gripping the soft blond hair.

Draco closed his eyes and ran his hands over Harry's smooth back, his fingers trailing up and down the indented track of his spine. Harry's muscles shifted sensually beneath his skin as Draco caressed every inch. Draco dipped his hands lower and slid them up the delicious curve of Harry's backside and under the white boxers, cupping and kneading the baby-soft flesh underneath.

Harry moaned around Draco's probing tongue and left off his mouth to trail his lips down the long pale column of Draco's throat. Draco swallowed, his Adam's apple shifting convulsively under Harry's lips as they passed over. He dug his fingers deep into Harry's thick hair – needing to anchor himself as he threw back his head with another loud moan, Harry's lips now blazing a trail across his chest. Harry snaked his head to the right and began to alternately lick and suck at Draco's hardened nipple.

"Oh god..." Draco gasped in pleasure, arching his back and undulating his hips against Harry's own aching erection. "Harry..."

Harry licked his way across Draco's firm chest to lave at the other nipple.

Draco moved his hands back to Harry's backside, his fingers now skimming down into the crevice to stroke lightly at Harry's entrance.

Harry lifted his head and moaned appreciatively. He rubbed his groin against Draco's as he searched for more contact, more friction, more everything.

Draco thrust up to meet him as Harry urgently rocked their arousals together.

"I want you in me," Harry panted next to Draco's ear.

Draco bit back the threatening moan at Harry's words and opened his eyes. "But I thought-

"I know," Harry rasped, voice thick with lust. "But what if we both kneeled?"

"Okay," Draco agreed breathlessly.

Harry pushed himself up and sat back on his haunches between Draco's legs. He smiled as he slid his hands up Draco's thighs to the tight black briefs, Draco's evident erection straining to be released. Harry pressed his right hand over the bulge and slowly massaged. Draco's cock gave a jump as he arched up with a moan.

Harry grasped the waistband of Draco's underwear and pulled them all the way down and off. He tossed them to the floor.

Draco sat up and took himself in hand, stroking his prick as Harry slowly stripped himself of his white boxers until he was crouched completely naked in front of him.

Draco let his eyes wander over Harry's exposed and vulnerable body, finally raising his gaze to Harry's flushed face; arousal sparking those expressive emerald eyes. He shuffled over to the side of the bed and stood up. He reached a hand back for Harry and pulled him over so that Harry was sitting with his legs hanging off of the edge.

Draco gave a quick kiss to his full lips then gently nudged Harry's legs apart before kneeling down between them.

Harry watched him intently, their eyes locked, Harry's chest moving rapidly as his breathing sped up in anticipation.

Draco placed little kisses up Harry's inner thigh, his eyes all the while on Harry's face. Harry finally had to close his eyes as Draco neared his erect penis; trembling with need. Draco pressed his tongue firmly to Harry's stiff shaft and licked it from root to tip, swirling around the head to clean away the gathered drops of pre-come.

Harry wrapped his fingers in Draco's hair as he gasped and moaned in the throes of unbridled pleasure.

Draco engulfed Harry's cock and sucked the length of it into his mouth, swallowing around it as he brought Harry to the edge over and over again, but never allowing him to fall.

Harry's body trembled as he moaned piteously at the overwhelming sensations, desperate to come to completion, and yet, reluctant to have it all end.

Draco moaned and sent vibrations right through Harry's groin.

Harry's eyes flew open and he quickly pushed Draco's mouth off of him. "Oh god...I almost came," he gasped.

Draco smirked and licked his lips. "Ready?"

Harry nodded and crawled back to the centre of the bed.

Draco stood up and bit his lip with a frown. "I don't have any lube."

"That's okay." Harry smiled. "C'mere."

Draco crawled over beside him.

"Kneel up on your knees," Harry instructed.

Draco did as he was told. Harry rubbed his hands together, then reached out and wrapped them around Draco's cock.

Draco moaned quietly as Harry slowly pulled his hands towards himself and down Draco's hard shaft, leaving behind a thick coating of clear gel.

Harry clapped his hands together and smiled.

"Wow, now _that_ is magic." Draco grinned.

Harry kneeled up to match Draco and they wrapped their arms around each other, bodies now flush against the other, erections crushed together.

They kissed passionately, letting their bodies and emotions take over. Tongues desperately stroking and plunging into the other's mouth.

Harry pulled away and turned around on his hands and knees, looking back over his shoulder at Draco expectantly – offering himself.

Draco swallowed and gripped Harry's hips in his hands as he moved into position.

"It's okay," Harry assured him as Draco hesitated. "I'm ready."

Draco nervously licked his lips, his pulse racing – matching the throbbing in his cock – as he directed his penis to Harry's entrance and pushed ever-so-gently inside.

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on relaxing.

Draco entered him achingly slow, half a centimetre at a time, pausing after every push as he got deeper and deeper. Beads of sweat trailed down Draco's chest as the heat of the fire and the heat of Harry's body surrounded him.

Eventually he was embedded all the way in.

Draco slowly pulled Harry up so that his chest was pressed against Harry's back.

Harry turned his head to the side, searching for Draco's lips. Draco obligingly kissed him as he began to thrust shallowly.

Draco's right hand found Harry's weeping erection and began to slowly administer long firm strokes along its length.

Harry moaned and threw his head back onto Draco's shoulder. "Oh god, that feels so good."

Draco lowered his mouth and sucked on Harry's arched throat, his left hand running circles over Harry's smooth, hairless chest.

Harry reached behind him and grasped the back of Draco's neck as he let out another loud moan, already beginning to feel the building pressure of impending orgasm in his groin.

Draco's control was starting to slip and he began to thrust faster, Harry's tight heat urging him on.

"I'm so close..." Harry groaned. "Don't stop."

"Harry..." Draco panted, losing all control as he pounded into Harry with quick, sharp thrusts.

"Harder," Harry urged, covering Draco's hand on his erection with his own.

Draco squeezed more firmly as they both worked to get him off.

Their bodies shone with perspiration in the flickering firelight, the room full of the passionate sounds of sex.

"Uh, uh, uh..." Draco began to grunt dutifully with every jerk of his hips.

Harry grabbed Draco's roaming left hand and entwined their fingers together.

"Draco, Draco, Draco..." Harry chanted, reaching the peak. He clenched his hand in Draco's and cried out, orgasm overtaking his entire body as his semen shot out over Draco's right hand and onto the bedspread. Harry held his breath as the absolute pleasure rocketed through him.

Draco continued to fist him as Harry's body clenched in climax. He thrust faster and chanted Harry's name as his own completion approached with alarming speed. He froze and cried out as it suddenly hit him, an almost feral snarl on his face as he shot his seed deep within his lover.

Harry clenched around Draco, trying to prolong his orgasm for as long as possible.

Draco moaned and his body sagged with euphoric satiation.

Harry sighed and turned to look at Draco's face.

Draco dragged his eyes open and gave a lazy smile. He kissed Harry once on the forehead before slowly pulling his now soft cock from Harry's body.

They both pulled away and Harry performed a quick cleaning spell before they crawled beneath the covers.

Draco sighed peacefully as Harry laid his head on the blonde's warm chest and snuggled in close. Draco held him tightly and closed his eyes.

"I love you, Draco."

Draco opened his eyes and smiled up at the ceiling. "When did you realize that you loved me again?"

"Long time ago." Harry yawned.

"Do you remember when?"

"Yeah." Harry smiled drowsily at the memory. "It was just after you saved me from that Quintaped. We were sitting outside on Hagrid's stairs and it started to snow."

Draco blinked in surprise. "But...that was before you left for Ireland."

"Even though I knew that I loved you, I still needed to get away for awhile. We both needed some time alone after...all that."

Draco held him a little tighter. "I don't know how you can even look me in the eye after everything I did to you."

"Because you've changed so much, Draco. You're a different person than the one you were back then." Harry shifted to look up at him. "And because love is worth forgiving for."

Draco smiled and softy kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you."

"I just wish we'd discovered the truth sooner, we wasted so much time."

"I know." Draco's expression hardened. "I'm not going to let Dumbledore get away with this. We're not just some pawns that he can play with in order to win this war. He has to learn that he can't fuck with other people's lives like this."

Harry bit his lip. "You know that I can't just abandon all this, right? I have to fight Voldemort. I have to win this war."

Draco's face immediately softened as he gazed down at him. "I know, love. And I'll be right there beside you in that final battle, but I won't play the double agent anymore. Severus can play that dangerous game alone."

Harry smiled and laid his cheek back down on Draco's chest. "I'm glad."

Draco closed his eyes with a sigh of contentment.

"No more secret relationship," Harry murmured sleepily.

"That's right." Draco promised fervently. "We have nothing to hide."

Harry smiled peacefully as he drifted off to sleep.

"One day this war will be over, Harry," Draco whispered. "And then nothing will stand in our way."

With that hopeful thought, Draco fell fast asleep with his lover tucked safely in his arms. This time vowing never to let him go again.

_  
- The End - _

_  
There has to be somewhere that we can be safe from the lives we live each day  
There has to be somewhere that we can be far away _

We have to escape and I will go anywhere if you just lead the way  
Escape to a place where we'll be together, together everyday  
We have to escape....


End file.
